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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27637712">That you are here</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire_and_Emeralds/pseuds/Sapphire_and_Emeralds'>Sapphire_and_Emeralds</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Artificial Intelligence, Asexuality, BAMF Catra, Borderline Personality Disorder, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Catra being oblivious about it, Character Death, Character Development, Child Soldiers, Coup d'état, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Enemies to Lovers, Ethics, F/F, F/M, Families of Choice, Fictional Religion &amp; Theology, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Enemies, Friendship, Gen, Geneva Conventions, Healing, Horde Lord Catra (She-Ra), Horde culture, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Military, Multi, Other, Personal Growth, Philosophy, Politics, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Redemption, Self-Discovery, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Shadow Waver bashing, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unhealthy Relationships, Until she isn't, War, Worldbuilding, eventually, kind of, people crushing on Catra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:40:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>43,401</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27637712</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire_and_Emeralds/pseuds/Sapphire_and_Emeralds</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“...” Catra looks up, exhaling softly before turning to meet her gaze. “Is war necessary?” She whispers, not quite looking at the princess. “No, I don't think it is. So why do people find it necessary?” </p><p>“...I don’t understand.” Glimmer shakes her head.</p><p>“Etheria is no longer in a place where problems can be solved by talking.” She shakes her head as she starts to walk towards the vessel. “We might breathe the same air, fight the same war, but the worlds we see are too different for us to solve by talking. War changes people.” She confesses softly. “Changes the reason for fighting. And this war has long since stopped being waged for honour and ideals.”</p><p>Catra never predicted her ascension to second in command, nor for the problems that would arise from it.</p><p>Including the cataclysm of Shadow Wavers paperwork, Hordaks terrible leadership, Scorpia becoming a minder, Entrapta becoming a part-time therapist and the slight issue of the war hiding secrets that she’s slowly opening and would very much like to remain closed.</p><p>A war rages on Etheria, questions lay unanswered and a woman lays trapped in her mind.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora &amp; Bow &amp; Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Catra &amp; Emily, Catra &amp; Entrapta &amp; Scorpia (She-Ra), Catra &amp; Kyle &amp; Lonnie &amp; Rogelio (She-Ra), Catra &amp; Original Character(s), Eventual Adora/Catra, George/Lance (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>204</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1 ~ Awaken</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>A/N: She-ra and the Princess of power were made by J. Michael Straczynski and Larry DiTillio, I only take credit for my own added character's and storylines. Similarly, any references will be attributed to their original creators when they pop up.</strong>
</p><p><strong>Recommended story: </strong>As long as we stay together (if we just stay together) by HerotheHardWay</p><p>AdoraxCatra, unsurprisingly. PhD student AU in the South Pole. Sounds strange until you start reading it, at which point, you'll read it all in one go. Adora and Catra are former best friends that haven't spoken in years after an explosive fall out, only to find each other at an IceCube Neutrino Detector in the South Pole. Angst with a happy ending.</p><p>
  <strong>BTW, I also have a Fanfic account where I'm also publishing, if you prefer reading it there~.</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>Enjoy!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Book I: Of Shard and Concept</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 1 ~ Awaken</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p><strong>Right, so: <em>Content Warning! </em></strong> <strong>I haven't quite got this hammered out, but suicidal thoughts, self-harm, depression and some other mental illness will take part. If any of the above is something you are not comfortable with, then you might want to skip this fic.</strong> <strong><br/></strong></p><p>
  <strong>There's also LGBT, but what are you doing here if that's a suprise?</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>Inhaling sharply, she chokes on nightmares, eyes flutter open as she lies on a puddle of blood.</p><p>Her breathing, already ragged, hastens as her heartbeat drums into her chest, the lingering delirious mindset disappearing as she stares. Awkwardly, leaning out of her bed, Catra can only watch wide-eyed at her inner forearm, eyes trailing from the deep slashed wounds to her still protracted, blooded claws.</p><p>It wasn't the first time she'd clumsily scratched herself, of course, she'd done it countless times during her childhood, particularly in those awkward years of puberty, but this- this was a gash, deeply embedded through her skin with taunting red.</p><p>It was still bleeding.</p><p>Breathing short and fast, she feels the panic welling through her lungs as she shakily stands up.</p><p><em>Who did she even go-to for this? </em>Because it's not like she can head to the treatment facilities and get one of the doctors to look at it.<em> Or, well,</em> s<em>he </em><strong><em>could, </em></strong><em>technically, but it'd be seen as a weakness.</em> Not even a week in as second in command? She'd be lucky with only a demotion. <em>You can't show vulnerability in the Horde.</em></p><p>Before she can even begin to process it, she's knocking on the door, some attempt to breathe going through her brain as her body shivering and her sight blurs.</p><p>"Honestly, it's <em>still </em>not six!" Scorpia's soothing voice yawns. She remembers now. They in Dryl, having chosen nearby rooms to avoid the awkwardness of finding each other in such maze. "A girl really needs her sleep, Entrap- Fu- <em>CATRA!</em>" Grimacing, she leans on Scorpia, a rare loss of balance flowing through her.</p><p>She's not sure when she's started associating Scorpia with <strong>safety</strong>. She's not even sure if she wants to know. Scorpia is nice, true, but she's also Horde. But... even if she's a little bit leery of the thought, her shoulders shake a little bit less as she's scooped up and placed on a bed.</p><p>"-to talk me through this," Scorpia begs. "I-I think I had some bandages- not here, <em>no</em>. No. N- Here!"</p><p>"Scorpia?" What is she even doing here? Wait. No, Catra's the one here.</p><p>"Okay," Scorpia says, attempting to smile reassuringly. "s-stay awake, Wildcat." She nods, focusing on Scorpias shaky voice.</p><p>"...Entrapta was here?" She murmurs curiously.</p><p>"Huh? Wha- Oh. Yeah, she woke me up at -one? two?- sometime early in the morning." Catra hummed as she half listens to the amusing tale. She ignores the (surprisingly gentle) pressure on her right arm as she stares surprisingly peacefully. "So... um?"</p><p>"Woke up in a pool of blood. Hadn't done that in <em>years</em>." She admits, weirdly nostalgic over it.</p><p>It's been like this since Brightmoon's invasion. She's been losing her self in thoughts more often lately. <em>Easier times, where the world was so much simpler. </em>She can't help but think.</p><p>"Wait, wait, wait. You've done this <em>before</em>?" It's not quite a shirk, but Scorpia's voice must have been two octaves higher to have been that squeaky.</p><p>"Huh? Oh. Not the pool of blood. I meant the teeth and claws." She explained with a nod.</p><p>"I...sorry,<em> what</em>?"</p><p>"Hmm. Went through this phase. I needed to bite everything because my jaws were always hurting. Same with my claws. First time I've done it in my sleep thought." Teething, Adora had called it.</p><p>"Right. So... I'm going to find you some clothes, and I'll ask Entrapta to take a look. You- er, you're going to be okay?" Scorpia asked with worry.</p><p>"Fine." She nodded tiredly. "Since when is Enrapta a doctor?"</p><p>"I'm hoping that she is because I don't know anyone else that can help and keep it to themselves."</p><p>Catra nods again, faintly recognising the sound of the door's closing as she leans back onto the bed.</p><p>Absently, her finger's touch her fang, a faint frown etching on her features. She'd been honest when she'd said she hadn't done that in years. She had some ideas as to what had caused it, bluebell coloured eyes staring at her from her nightmare.</p><p>Grimacing, she rolled to her side, staring blankly at the wall as she pondered through her sea of thoughts.</p><p>She'd been careless, back in the crystal castle. It'd been so <em>easy</em>, to fall into old habits, reaching out, watching Adora's back as they swapped playful banter. How she allowed herself to feel safe. Allowed herself the privilege for the first time in months for just <em>her presence</em>.</p><p>Adora was a defector, which made her an <em>enemy</em>.</p><p>It didn't make it any easier to stomach.</p><p>"Oh. Yes. I can see why you were panicking, Scorpia." A voice she instantly recognised as Entrapta states. "However, I <em>am</em> a scientist, not a doctor. Wouldn't it be easier if we brought a- well, a doctor?"</p><p>She had a point.</p><p>"Robots, biology, same difference, right?" Scorpia hopes.</p><p>Wai- <em>what</em>?</p><p>"It looks fine? Say Catra, any sense of dizziness?"</p><p>"...No?"</p><p>"See! She's fine!" Entrapta cheered before coming to a stop. "I... should probably give it a check just in case."</p><p>"Hmm," Catra yawns, vaguely aware of their voices as she losses focus.</p><p>"Ah! W-wait! You shouldn't-"</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>"Scorpia?" She askes, head spinning as her sight is slightly blurred.</p><p>"Ah! You awake!" Scopria's eyes brighten as she rushes to her side. "Good! That's good! I had to say you stayed up going over strategies, which worked since you <em>have</em> been doing that most of the time, but we were starting to think we might need to bring one of the doctors after all..."</p><p>"What are you-" She blinks, staring at her bandaged armed as her lips separate. "Oh." Because really, how else is she supposed to react to <em>that</em>?</p><p>"Yeah... I got you some fingerless gloves that reach the shoulder since..." The sentence ends in an awkward trail as she shifts uncomfortably.</p><p>"Right... thanks for that." Honestly? She isn't sure which of them is more surprised by the lack of hostility.</p><p>It's just that...</p><p>She's tired. So full of weariness, and the usual lake of rage she usually pulls from withing her isn't there. Replaced by weary pain and aching numbness.</p><p>Just... <em>tired</em>.</p><p>Being second in command had and hadn't quite been what she'd hoped for.</p><p>Oh, she enjoyed it.</p><p>Playing God on top of a map was truly <em>exhilarating</em>. Gaining territory, predicting movements, giving ground only to use it into an advantage... she'd never felt more <em>alive</em>.</p><p>The problem, however, laid in what she had to work with.</p><p>Most of the force captains at her disposal were useless. Resources were vast, but the quality was lacking, and... Honestly? For all the good training the soldiers were given, the propaganda as to what one should expect from princesses and the rebellion ruined it.</p><p>And the less said of the mess Shadow Wavers left behind, the better.</p><p>"Wildcat? You okay?" Scorpia bit her lip, looking at her with worry as she rubbed her arm. "I... you know you can talk to us, right? Just, if you need to rant about anything... or whatever else, we... <em>I'm</em> happy to listen, yeah?"</p><p>"I'm-" Fine, she wants to say. But the words die in her throat as her eyes meet Scorpia's. "I'll think about it."</p><p>And if she practically runs out of the room?</p><p>Well, that's for her alone to know.</p><p>She barely runs for a minute before coming to a stop, leaning onto the wall as she slides to the ground.</p><p>It's a luxury she wouldn't allow herself back at the fright zone. But all the soldiers are outside of the castle, and even if they weren't, she barely brought fifty of them to start preparations.</p><p>She's exhausted, as in Shadow Waver punishment level exhaustion, which-</p><p>Catra really didn't want to think about <em>that </em>woman. Actually, she doesn't want to think of anything to do with that woman. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, she pulls out her screen (she really needs to ask Entrapta what it's called) as she starts calculating logistics.</p><p>They wouldn't be staying here long, of course, once they had a basic perimeter made and Entrapta had everything sorted out, they'd head back to the fright zone, she'd rearrange the offensive line to account for the changes and start positioning for the real push.</p><p>Her eyes fall slightly, she leans her head onto the wall as she takes a moment to rest. Absentmindedly, her fingers trace over her newly worn sleeve, where they carefully hide bandages from prying eyes.</p><p><em>This is all Adora's fault</em>. She decides irritatedly, forcing herself upwards to cheek on how the perimeter arrangments are going.</p><p>Her eye twitches when, not even a minute later, her screen starts beeping.</p><p>"H-Hello? Hello? Please tell me you're on your way back? I need backup! Entrapta's new invention has lost it!"</p><p>"-437 Is having some sort of existential crisis! Down boy-" There's a momentarily static sound followed by a minor explosion as Catra watches the two body tackle the robot.</p><p>"I..." Letting out a sigh, Catra stared at the sky in half held contemplation. "Pull it together, Kyle, you're soldier, you're fine."</p><p><em>Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to take over Dryl</em>, she thinks idly. Yes, it's a gain of territory, and yes, it gave almost all of the materials Entrapta needed to continue her experiments...</p><p>Unfortunellty, not only did that mean there was nothing from making her experiments more... insane, it also meant they had to deal with the actual structure of the castle, which even it's own princess had little idea as to how to navigate.</p><p>She just wanted to lie down and <em>sleep</em>. Not deal with... whatever this is.</p><p>So, in proper Catra fashion, her face gets covered with pink sparkles.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>"-took a hostage! We supposed to be the good guys!" A moment of silence as the boy in question starts to pace. "Maybe we should let her go and-</p><p>"Let her go? Did she let us go? <em>No! </em>She-"</p><p>"Yeah! Because <strong>s<em>he's</em></strong> the bad guy!"</p><p>Catra twitched, letting out an exaggerated snore because- <em>This</em>? This <em>irritates</em> her.</p><p>Not the being ignored, mind you. It's... Adora had said that. Used that particular word.</p><p><strong>Evil</strong>. Catra had no delusions in a good versus bad world that the rebellion seemed to (rather obviously) see. Honestly, the way she spoke about it was as if evil shouldn't exist. Not to say that Catra claimed that evil was a good thing to have (pun intended), she was well aware of what the Horde was, of what it took, of what it did.</p><p>But it was not <strong><em>made </em></strong>up of evil.</p><p>Repulsive leadership? Certainly. Terrible structure? Unfortunately. Evil construction? Not so much.</p><p>Most soldiers served out of fear, fear of punishment from the horde for defection, or the rebellion for the loyalty they never had a choice in.</p><p>Which was a terrible choice. If you enemy wanted to defect then you dragged them to your side. As it was? The rebellion was practically encouraging them to continue the war.</p><p>Unfortunately, she couldn't use that, as the Horde did not possess the moral high ground.</p><p>Not yet, at least.</p><p>...</p><p>Actually, not ever, since changing things would require getting Hordak to have a change of heart.</p><p>So yeah, the (not so) evil Horde for the win!</p><p>"-advantage!"</p><p>Catra blinks as Sparkles starts storming towards her, smirking even if she has no idea what's going on.</p><p>"We're taking you to Bright-Moon! If your people want you back, they'll have to give as Entrapta."</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Huh. So they did realise who they'd left behind. Or, maybe, a darker side of her thinks, they realised only <em>after</em> the robots had made clear leaps of advancements in a matter of<em> weeks</em>.</p><p>Catra snorts, sending the most patronising look to Glitter she can master in her slight delirious state. "Right. Good luck with that, then." Glowy, of course, growls.</p><p>"On your feet, Horde <em>scum</em>." Wow. The princess has <em>spunk</em>.</p><p>"Ah. I seem to be unable to walk." She mellows dramatically, falling to her side with an 'oomph'. "How <em>unfortunate</em>."</p><p>"Nice try." She snorts. "I'll just <em>telepor</em>t us there."</p><p>"Er Glimmer," The calmer of the two interrupts. "Could I talk to you real quick?"</p><p><em>Talk?</em> They did realise these ears won't for show, didn't they? ...she wouldn't complain about an advantage, though. Prideful and vain she may be, but those were fruits from a life of constant dismissal and insults. Nothing was too low for her, after all.</p><p>Despise herself, she almost lets out a startled laugh as Arrow boy whispers unsuccessfully that the princess is rechargeable.</p><p><em>That</em>, she thinks, <em>is a game-changer</em>.</p><p>"Here! Let me help you up!"</p><p>"...what?" Catra asks, irritated with the situation in general. <em>Shadow Waver would be so disappointed. </em>A voice lazily comments.<em> When isn't she? </em>The more vindicative side shoots back.</p><p>"The rebellion treats its prisoners with compassion." He smiles brightly, pulling her up with a surprising amount of ease.</p><p>"Right... Ever wonder that might be why you, <em>oh</em>, I don't know? <em>Losing</em>?" Catra huffed in irritation as they start walking. "You princess types always have to be the bleeding heart's, don't you? Everythings about the power of friendship." Her lips twitch in a particular taunting smirk. "How's that working out for you?"</p><p>"Come on, I bet even the horde has friends. What about Adora?" Catra's lips thinned. "You two grew up together, what was she like as a kid?"</p><p>"..."</p><p>"Glimmer and I have known each other forever too. She teleported to the roof to get my arrows when I was just learning how to shoot."</p><p>"..." Did he not shut up? Thought...she could use this, she realised. He was distracted. Just push him down the canyon with her and Sparkles would catch them.</p><p>"You're... feeling okay?" Urgh! Why was he so <em>nice</em>. Cruelty was easy to deal with. But she now felt guilty for considering pushing him off the cliff. "Peachy." She lies through her teeth. If anything, the urge to crawl into one of the abandoned air vents and sleep had only grown at the mention of her deserting friend. "...One-track mind."</p><p>"Er... what?"</p><p>"Adora." She huffs in irritation. "She was one-track-minded, <em>even</em> as a kid."</p><p>"Oh!? What else? What else?"</p><p><em>...How much blood has she lost? Couldn't possibly be more than some few hours, right?</em> Her thoughts wander as fatigue started to eat her away, not enough to keep her down, of course, but she felt somewhat light-headed.</p><p>Explains how she got captured, at least. "...does she still sleep fight?" She asks absentmindedly, pondering how long until her body made more blood.</p><p>Did it even work like that? The horde didn't really have much information that wasn't combat orientated. She... might ask Rogelio. She hasn't spoken with him... or her team, actually, for weeks. Not out of duty, as they used to.</p><p>Before everything went to hell.</p><p>Bow giggled, nodded eagerly as his eyes sparkled with curiosity. It... Honestly, she wasn't quite sure what someone like him was doing in this war. He was as suited to it as Kyle was.</p><p>Which meant he wasn't.</p><p>"She did it yesterday! I... er, we were having a sleepover, and Glimmer has this really high bed, and midway through the night, we both literally being thrown out of bed. Glimmer woke up screaming before stopping us from hitting the ground."</p><p>"...Sounds like Glimmer would do anything for you." She misses that as her absent whisper leaves her lips. The no need to think trust Adora and she had shared.</p><p>Then she decided to play princess, and now Catra had to deal with the mess.</p><p>"Absolutely, Glimmers my best friend." Arrow boy -she thinks sparkles might have called him Bow- smiles nostalgically. She's not dealing with this. As a matter of fact, she <em>refuses</em> to deal with this.</p><p>"...I see." And she does. So she pushes.</p><p>She can't deny the faint smirk that graces her lips as he lets out a high pitch scream.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>"Don't know about you, but I. am. <em>beat</em>. Honestly! Getting held hostage is <em>so</em> much work. <em>Ohhh</em>." Turns out, blood lose seems to take more than some few hours to heal. She feels terrible. Actually, she thinks she might feel even worse than this morning. Thought messing with the princesses <em>is</em> lightening her day.</p><p>"Ignore her. Just ignore her."</p><p>Arrow boy was making the most amusing expressions, as she was dragged on the floor, which might have explained it, after his claim of 'fair treatment'. "You look pretty tired, princess. Running out of glitter?" She hums curiously.</p><p>"How did Adora take years from this?" She stumps her foot, vibrating in irritation as she sends Catra a venomous glare. "She didn't run away from the Horde, she runs away from <em>you</em>.</p><p>Catra's eyes narrow, jumping on her feet as her raging anger start to return. "And where is she<em> now</em>? Of being <strong>She-ra</strong>? Get used to it. She left Entrapta behind, what makes you think that she won't leave you as well, Sparkles?</p><p>Glimmers eyes narrowed, taking a threatening step closer as her hands twitched.</p><p>Catra raised an eyebrow, ear momentarily twitching as she hears a familiar sound in the distance.</p><p>She needs to time this carefully.</p><p>"<em>We</em> are her friends, unlike you, who-"</p><p>"Oh, do save me the lecture, she left her home for a <em>glowing sword</em>, you're extra baggage at <em>best</em>."</p><p>Glitter seems like she's about to explode -would she let out sparkles?- as her teeth grit together.</p><p>"That's it! Bow! We are-"</p><p>"Don't move." Catra instantly does the opposite, with practised ease her hips twist, leg slamming into Sparkles calf, forcing her onto the ground as she sidestepped backwards towards her team.</p><p>"Catra? Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Her panic waves freeze as her eyes scan her before turning into a furious snarl as she glares at the princesses. "Oh, I will <em>crush</em> them!"</p><p>It takes her a moment to realise that she's covered in scratches and dirt, between the waterfall and being dragged over the mountain path she probably looks rather ragged. "I'm okay," Catra responded, blinking at the sheer protective tone Scorpia was taking. And she is. She feels (closer to) okay, it's a strange feeling, and she's unsure on how to process it. So she doesn't. "Right. Not that this hasn't been fun, but you now seem to be at a slight disadvantage."</p><p>Glitter's jaw tightens as she glares. "We'll save her." She promises. "One day, well get her back."</p><p>Catra blinks, staring at them because-</p><p>-because they think they have the moral high ground? After they abandoned Entrapta?</p><p>Grabbing the screen from Scorpia's offered hand -claw?-, she types in her</p><p>password before sending Kyle a call.</p><p>"Oh! Hey Catra!" Entrapta smiles, eyes darting towards one of her keyboards as she types some abstract program. "Kyle isn't available at the moment, but don't worry, I've got it under control!" Her firm declaration is followed by an explosion, the collapse of metal promptingly following before dragging silence. "It's okay, though, this was only the prototype. The next one will be much, <em>much</em> bigger."</p><p>"Entrapta..." Arrow Boy speaks incomprehensibly. "What is going on?"</p><p>"Hi, bow! What are you doing there?" Catra isn't quite sure, but she can't help think that they've missed the slight hostility in her voice.</p><p>"Hang on Entrapta, we're going to rescue you!" Oh. They've definitely missed it, and she's not sure how. Even from the awkward angle as she holds the screen, she can see the slight tensing of Entrapta's shoulders.</p><p>"Oh good..." Entrapta's smile becomes fixed, unsure on how to react. "Rescue me from what?"</p><p>And Catra can't help the vindictive smirk that grows on her lips as they stare in comprehensive horror because- <em>how dare they act like this is some huge</em><strong><em> betrayal!</em></strong></p><p>Good. She thinks angrily. You left someone you called a friend behind and thought they'd still want you? If nothing else, they perfect for Adora. And as Entrapta slowly shatters they perfect pink world of wonders, she can't help but feel a slight warmth under her chest. Because Entrapta chose me over you. And that.</p><p>That means something.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>Catra tries not to claw her eyes out, if only because that'd only make her work harder.</p><p>How had Shadow Waver stayed as second in command for <em>decades</em>? Her strategies consisted of overwhelming force, her actual actions and responsibilities as second in command were superficial at best. And her updates in terms of progress... disturbing did not even begin to describe them.</p><p>Adora was Shadow Waver's favourite. This, Catra had known. What Catra hadn't realised was the level of obsession that women had held for Adora.</p><p>As in, a good half of her time was spent obsessing over Adora. For <em>years</em>. Which was already creepy, before you realised that this had gone since before Adora had learnt to <em>walk</em>.</p><p>Adora. Shadow waver's had made it clear on how it stood for <em>to be adored.</em></p><p>Catra. It stood for Ado<strong><em>ra</em></strong>'s cat.</p><p>It was...</p><p>Disgusting? The level of obsession she'd had over someone that hadn't even learned to walk yet. A little disappointing as well, since it was clear that power and Adora was the only thing that women had cared about. And-</p><p>And, maybe, a little heartbreaking. Because the only references she could find of herself was the rare 'Adora's pet' or 'vile beast'.</p><p>But still. Catra continued working.</p><p>She needed to figure out a clear chain of command. Because Force Captains really didn't have an obvious could or cant's in the rulebook and it was driving Catra <em>insane</em>.</p><p>So, here she was, reconstructing the military structure while planning numerous strategies while memorising as much as she could.</p><p>And people called her lazy.</p><p>Leaning into her chair, she stared at a particular file that taunted her at the side of her desk. All her problems could be solved with this. The problem laid in her pride.</p><p>
  <em>Pride or power. Which did she choose?</em>
</p><p>Letting out an irritated growl, she leaned into the table, head buried into her arms, as her unruly hair acts as a shield as, hiding her from view.</p><p>Adora had once compared it to a lions mane.</p><p>And Catra had made it even wilder, in hops of having Adora compliment it again. She never did.</p><p>
  <em>Pride? Or power?</em>
</p><p>Lifting her head slightly, her mismatched eyes stared at the file as if it'd had personally offended her (it had).</p><p>As a Horde soldier, achievements meant <em>everything</em>. And that was the problem. Shadow Waver had made sure that Adorama would gain all those achievements, raising at the challenge and succeeding. Because that was the thing? Wasn't it? While Adora deserved her position, the were other's that could have challenged her for it.</p><p>But Shadow Waver was the one with power, so they hadn't.</p><p>Catra had chosen pride to hide from eyes, boasting and smirking knowing she'd never be accepted. Rogelio had chosen non-mandatory focuses, such as medicine and technology. Lonnie chose to be loud and tough, spending most of her time in the gym. And Kyle...</p><p>Kyle was intelligent. Not Entrapta's level of intelligence, of course, but...</p><p>Catra stared at the file.</p><p>
  <em>Pride or Power?</em>
</p><p>Someone that intelligent that was empathetic could easily become a powerful piece.</p><p>She grabbed the file, walking towards the window to gaze at the cloudy sky.</p><p>Just this once, she'd chose power over pride.</p><p>Eyes gleaming downwards, she memorised Kyles report file.</p><p>It's time to change, she thinks tiredly.</p><p>So she does.</p><p>And with her, so does the universe.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>I've realised I'm incapable of sticking with a single fic. Seriously. I have over a dozen half-made, some even finished in my head, but...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I've already finished the main outline of this fic, so now it's just wait and see how long I can write. And seeing how long it took me to bring this one up, that might be a while.</strong>
</p><p><strong>Don't worry, there's a lot of paraphrasing, but that will only be for season two. This will mostly go AU the further in we go, so </strong> <strong>there's</strong> <strong> that.</strong></p><p>
  <strong>Also, Beta testers! If anyone's interested I'm sure I can figure out how it works, maybe, <em>possible.</em></strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Thoughts? Did you enjoy it?<br/>Anyways, Ill See you next time! Ciao!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>~ Sapphire and Emeralds</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2 ~ Unearth I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>A/N: She-ra and the Princess of power were made by J. Michael Straczynski and Larry DiTillio, I only take credit for my own added character's and storylines. Similarly, any references will be attributed to their original creators when they pop up.</strong>
</p><p><strong>Recommended story: </strong>Seeing Stars, by fruitsandpeachies</p><p>AdoraxCatra, with both ending up in an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. Severely injured, they're forced to stay trying to unveil the house's mysteries that grow increasingly distressing the more they learn. Also have to deal with their own feelings towards the other, unresolved with years of waging a war against the other. It's slow-burn, in case that wasn't obvious.</p><p>
  <strong>BTW, I also have an A03 account where I'm also publishing, if you prefer reading it there~.</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>Enjoy!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Book I: Of Shard and Concept</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 2 ~ Unearth I</strong>
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</p><hr/><p><strong> <em>Content Warning! </em> </strong> <strong>Depression, </strong> <strong>dissociation</strong> <strong> and some other mental illness will take part. If any of the above is something you are not comfortable with, then you might want to skip this fic.</strong></p><p>
  <strong>There's also LGBT, but what are you doing here if that's a suprise?</strong>
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</p><hr/><p>Without a blink, lazily sidestepping the flying projectile, she approaches the source of mad cackling.</p><p>"-and rerouting the main power cables to mobility rather than the canon has proven to increase mobility by thirty-six per cent in initial trials! Notes are being moved for prototype uses as I speak!" Catra raised an eyebrow, leaning next to HR-E822526, as the women in question continuing to marvel at her sea of thoughts.</p><p>"Having fun?" She asked, faintly curious.</p><p>"Oh, <em>absolutely</em>! With this much data, I should be able to initiate production for the first version by the end of the month! Why! I just figured out that-"</p><p>"In simple terms, Entrapta."</p><p>She huffs, rolling her eyes as she reaches for a notebook. "Power moved to mobility, while minimum levels of energy in firepower remains, superior improvement makes it a possible choice." She extends slowly, handing her the notes before returning to her computer.</p><p>"Good." She nodded, eyes darting around the room. "You wouldn't happen to have seen Kyle, would you? I wanted to ask him some questions." Had he been hitched into a mission? Usually one would spend most of their time with their squad, but her promotion had... well, she hadn't exactly had a positive relationship with her squad, but since her promotion, she barely spoke with them, period.</p><p>Which brought her back to the main reason she wanted an actual command structure instead of the loose chain they currently had. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. Building multiple chains of commands had taken some few days, the problem, however, laid in finding people to actually fill those positions. Which meant that Catra had spent the past all-nighters going through a pile made up of millions of separate identities.</p><p>"...Who?" Entrapta blinked.</p><p>"...Urgh. Right. Entrapta, you request to explore the mines has been accepted, there's been rebel activity, so prepare only <em>necessary </em>equipment to take with you. I'll ask Scorpia to fetch you at-" She pauses for a second, ear twitching at the sharp noise as she considers Entrapta's eccentrics and her non-existent sense of time."-nine. That should be acceptable."</p><p>"What about me?" Scorpia asked, walking through the door with-</p><p>"You will also... be..." Catra raises an eyebrow. "What's that?"</p><p>"Hmm? Oh, their muffins! You know one can sometimes get stressed, with all this force captain stuff, so I start baking whenever I get some free time. Want some?"</p><p>Catra snatched one of them from her pincer, sniffing it curiously before taking a tentative bite.</p><p>"Huh." She stared at Scorpia. "How come they don't serve these instead of the nutrition bars?"</p><p>"Too expensive," Scopia shrugs, offering the rest to Entrapta as she hums thoughtfully. "I think... finance isn't really my strong suit."</p><p>"Huh." Catra wonders, not for the first time, if this has something to do with Shadow Wavers lax responsibility in her duties. "I'll look into it."</p><p>"Great!" Scorpia smiles. "So... I was wondering-"</p><p>"Scorpia, I'm on duty." Catra points out as they walk out of the laboratory, pulling out her screen as she carefully starts moving resources.</p><p>"Right! Right, yeah, it's only that-"</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>"-I was wondering if... wait, really?"</p><p>Catra sighs exasperatedly, reminding herself that she did (if only technically) owe Scorpia.</p><p>"We'll have some few hours when transported there. We can... <em>play</em> when I finish the reports."</p><p>"Great! You won't regret it! I've got cards and- oh! I should definitely make something to eat. And-"</p><p>"Scorpia." Catra interrupts impatiently." You need to be on duty by <em>seven</em>, and pick Entrapta up by <em>nine</em>. We leave at ten. I already sent you a briefing, okay?"</p><p>"Got it!" Scorpia smiles, rushing out of the hallway as she hums cheerfully.</p><p>Grimacing, she frowns, staring at her screen as she swaps the display for a map.<em> Now, why would the rebels go so far out of their territory for a simple mine?</em></p><p>But it wasn't that, not really. It wasn't rare for a small group of rebels to take on suicidal-mission to deter the Horde, but it was always on the border.</p><p>Not incredibly important, since She-ra wasn't making appearances, but-</p><p><em>Oh</em>, she thinks somewhat stupidly. So that's why the rebellion is scouting.</p><p>It's First-One's tech.</p><p>Catra frowns.</p><p>Wait, no. Entrapta hadn't said anything? And while she could lose herself in her invention's, Entrapta was very clear on what she did and didn't need.</p><p>Scowling, she sends a message to the inventor, double cheeking her request's before letting out an irritated sigh as she allows herself to slide down the wall. Sitting down, she stares.</p><p><em>First-One's tech was maybe influencing the new material they'd found.</em> She messages to Entrapta.</p><p>She tries tugging the bandages under her sleeves, a ghost of a smirk gracing her lips when the echoing explosion resounds throughout the building.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>"Ha-<em>Ha</em>! I <em>have</em> got the three!"</p><p>Letting out a distracted hum, her hand scroll down the screen as the other held some few remaining cards that she'd already memorised. Catra... didn't understand the point of this game. Not that she wasn't trying to win, of course, she was, but she'd rather be doing something useful, such as paperwork filing than whatever the point this activity was. She was simply predicting who had which cards while keeping her furthest values from seven.</p><p>Basics maths. She was- or rather had been preoccupied mentally going through the schematics of the Horde's capital, not daring to actually take out said schematics outside of the archives even on a secured path. Wich-</p><p>Wich was exactly where her preoccupation went. Because, now, she was held trying to figure out how to fix up the complete and utter fiasco that was becoming the whole operation. She'd already had her people set up a temporary base, already set up a perimeter, already set up a line of defence in every nearby military base.</p><p>Only for, barely three hours ago, the rebellion to attacked the mine. Not an attack on a temporary outpost, nor a sabotaging mission in vital supplies... but a strike force that had taken a decades-old mine that had been in Horde territory for <em>years </em>withhundreds of soldiers instead of the dozen she'd been informed.</p><p>The Rebellion was capable of defending their territory, yes, but she could count the number of times they'd even attempted to retake land that wasn't at the border. No. The mine had just moved from a scientifically curious location to a military important one.</p><p>But she didn't. know. <em>why.</em></p><p>She'd pulled her troops back, of course. Setting up camp roughly a kilometre away from the original camp, sending out scouts to map out any possible changes in the region while also locating any possible enemy locations.</p><p>"We here, Commander! Deepwood Outpost is still under construction, but all the essential requirements you ordered have been prepared!"</p><p>He was an excitable one, this one.</p><p>"Good to know, Fane" She nods as they walk into a simple, large tent. "The command room?"</p><p>"As much as it can be called a room." Fane shrugged before grimacing as he really who his being sarcastic too. "Ma'am" He hastily adds.</p><p>Not that she blames him. Outside military missions, she would have ripped him a new one for that level of disrespect. Only that-</p><p>There's this mental state, where her mind simply... she wants to say blanks out, but it's more of a disattached pipe system that can shift to completely redirect her neurotic mess that's known as empathy... well,<em> out</em>.</p><p><em>...Or maybe it's in? </em>She can't help but ponder... she'll have to get back on that one, but the point she's trying to make to herself is the level of difference between in Catra and out Catra, that, somewhere, leave herself Catra in the pipe maze.</p><p>...Oh. And there's a key, a shortcut that completely brakes it all apart, almost like a chain dragging her back down that only one person has. Only one person still has.</p><p>"Ma'am! Enemy identified as rebellion soldiers. Confirmed 74, though it is assumed they have some cover from the forest towards Brightmoon. Your orders?"</p><p>She almost yelp's as she's dragged out of her mind, trying to figure out when she's sat down and started reading through the files while... well, while she ignored everyone. That probably came out as rude.</p><p>Not that she'll apologise. She had a rather good reason for ignoring them and it's not like they could do much about it anyway...</p><p>"...I was under the impression this was a surface mine?" She asks instead. Had she missed that? No, she's become fairly good at snapping herself out of her distractions when it's something important. She'd have been dead years ago otherwise.</p><p>"I- well, see, the thing is. While it is a surface mine, it seems the rebellion found an underground part that was previously unknown to us. Most likely of their own making, if the effectiveness is of any indication, however without any eyewitnesses..."</p><p>Catra frowned. Finger tapping against her screen as she bites the inside of her cheek. She needed to change the 'either die in battle or die for running' mentality the majority of the Horde held. It was a waste, truly.</p><p>She thinks of the report she's just read and starts categorising the soldier's she has and how they'll be of best use to her. "Right." She nods, reaching for chalk before she walks towards the half-written whiteboard. "This in use?"</p><p>"E-Eh? Oh, no, we were only- I mean no Ma'am!"</p><p>This time she does roll her eyes, her tongue poking her cheek as she starts drawing a rough sketch of the map on the table. "Fane." She calls out thoughtfully. "Send one of the scouting squads to report, then assemble all squad leaders in 30 minutes, we taking what's ours back.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>Faint whispers come to an abrupt halt as she stretches. She doesn't much think of the sudden presence as she puts her tablet down and looks at the dozen or so members inside the tent.</p><p>"Our primary objective." She starts. Eyes sharp as she scanned their faces. "Is to retake the mine. There are no civilians in this location, as such, any person found once the mission commences is to be neutralized. If the chance presents itself, captured hostiles are to be tranquillized for interrogation. Said tranquillizer will be provided to you, it will take some few seconds to a minute to take effect, and will last a minimum of four hours."</p><p>"Squad one to seven will secure the perimeter. Squad eight, nine and ten will remain at camp. Squads eleven and twelve will scout the nearby area and secure the perimeter. Squad thirteen is in charge of coms, be advised, with diagnoses reporting the depth of the mine capable of blocking direct transmission, we will use robots to communicate.</p><p>"Remaining squads will accompany me inside to the underground and, if necessary, will be divided and lead by their squad leaders. Questions?"</p><p>"Ma'am?" The scout she spoke with not that long ago raises his hand. "You said we are to tranquillize the enemy...?</p><p>"Yes. I realise this is unprecedented, but unlike my predecessor, I believe that a captured enemy is of more value than a dead corpse." The Horde held an unspoken knowledge that they did not take prisoners. The enemy either died or escaped, never were they captured.</p><p>Which was absolutely ridiculous. Honestly, her work would be monumentally easier if she had actual people to interrogate. They had a fully built <em>prison</em> for this. They were dam well going to use it.</p><p>"That being said, you will not fall into stupidity. Any acts of suspicion, an instinct of doubt, either deliberately slow movement or any unnecessary speaking and you <em>will</em> attack. Anything else?" She stops for a second, eyes darting to one and a next before she nods in approval. "Good. We start at 7:12, you have three hours to get ready. Dismissed"</p><p>There were many ways to paint the Horde in a negative light, none of which would be particularly difficult, but if there is one thing they are unquestionably good at, it's at following orders. It's less than a minute when the tent is empty, minor Scorpia, who is smiling brightly, and herself.</p><p>"Wow. You were amazing in the debriefing. I mean, not that you not always amazing, of course. But you were <em>amazing</em>."</p><p>"...Okay..." Catra nods, rubbing her eyes tiredly, as she puts her screen down. She's unsure why Scorpia is saying this since Catra remembered quite vividly asking her to go over Force caprin orientation recap not that long ago. Then again, Scorpia was weird, so she could just live it to her general eccentrics. "Did you need something, Scorpia?"</p><p>"Oh! Er- no? I mean, I'm all ready, and since we have a bit of time I thought we could... catch up?"</p><p>"...we literally played cards four hours ago."</p><p>"I mean... yes... but that was <em>four</em> hours ago. How are you, anyway?"</p><p>"I've been better." She belatedly admits, turning away from her far two honest eyes. "You'll be okay above?"</p><p>"Huh?" She blinks. "Oh! Yeah, certainly. I mean, I'm in charge of making sure no one attacks the communication team, not difficult." She grins.</p><p>Catra's lip twitches slightly at Scorpia's ridiculous pose. "Good to know. You'll be in charge until I get back, then."</p><p>"Sure thing. Good luck! She extended her pincer out, holding it with sparkling eyes."</p><p>Rolling her eyes, she fist bumps (fist-claw-pincer bumps) in the faintest amounts of amusement. "You too."</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>"Dam." Someone lets out a low whistle in twisted recognition. "They really did a number to this place."</p><p>"Eyes sharp, soldier." She commands easily, a thoughtful frown on her features. "Whoever did that is still near us."</p><p>Not that she disagrees, between destroyed vehicles, bloody bodies, the surrounding forest burnt down and a half standing entrance for the mine, she's also torn between being impressed and faint rage.</p><p>"Yes Ma'am" She replies with a lazy smile.</p><p>"Dawn, behave."</p><p>"Oh, chill out, Commander wouldn't have gone in blind."</p><p>"No, I'm going in blind." She interrupts, a faint smirk on her lips.</p><p>"...Wait, seriously?"</p><p>"Mh-hm, can't exactly send scouts in a maze that's possibly infested.</p><p>"...It's infested?" One asked worriedly, hand gripping tighter as his eyes searched the area.</p><p>"Cheer up! It won't be <em>that </em>bad. It might even be fun!" Dawn grins excitedly.</p><p>He looks at his companion with a resigned expiration. "...Right. Not <em>that</em> bad."</p><p>"Honestly." She waves his sarcasm away. "Would you prefer Instructor Cobalt's lessons?" She smirks.</p><p>"You had Cobalt as you instructor?" Catra chimes, torn between curiosity and sympathy.</p><p>"Eh? Ah, yeah. Wouldn't stop shouting his W.E.L.L. at every moment of daylight. Irritating guy."</p><p>"<em>Dawn!</em>" He shouts, staring horrified that his friend is badmouthing a teacher even if the rest of the squad continues walking completely unfazed.</p><p>Despite herself. Catra found herself snorting at the girl's comment.</p><p>"Repeating the same exercise for years didn't help, I assume?"</p><p>She beamed, sending a smug grin at her friend before nodding enthusiastically.</p><p>"See! Commander understands me! And yeah, really, really didn't help. Though he kind of loosen up when you usurped Shadow Waver. Or maybe it's because he didn't have to deal with us any more..." Dawn trails off, a thoughtful look crossing her features as she contemplated which of the two was the more likely.</p><p>Catra sent them a curious look. "How come?" She hadn't talked with Cobalt since... ah. Since he'd shouted at her for skiving the assignment, again.</p><p>Actually. No. He <em>had</em> congratulated her for her promotion to second in command. Which, retrospect, had been weird as hell... She was feeling oddly nostalgic now.</p><p>"I mean... It's the same with everyone? Or most of us?" Dawn offers, snapping out of her contemplative walk as she sends Catra a curious glance.</p><p>"...Right... you going to have to explain that to me."</p><p>"Okay, so... we aren't really allowed to speak insubordination of superior officers. But with Shadow Waver imprisoned that's fine, right? See-," She continues without waiting for confirmation. "-nobody quite said it, but it was kind of obvious that we were expendable. We couldn't go anywhere else, so everyone kind of knew that-"</p><p>"<em>Dawn!</em>" Edmond hissed, sending Catra a terrified glance. Not that she didn't understand why. Dawn was practically speaking desertion.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah."She waved him off. "We all knew wed die sooner than later, Edy. Because Shadow Waver didn't <em>care</em>. But she was like, maybe immortal?" Dawn seems to contemplate that thought before she shrugs and offers a smile "Or at least been there before we'd been born, so we were <em>stuck</em>. And then <em>you</em> happened." She waves her hands enthusiastically, sending her a look of... awe? Right. Yeah, Catra had no idea what was happening. "I don't think you get how much respect you have, at least from the younger side of the Horde."</p><p>"I was expecting people to either plot my assassination to usurp me... or because I was usurped her."</p><p>"I mean, <em>yeah</em>. But then you started <em>winning</em>. And you were winning <em>right</em>."</p><p>"...Right..."She rolls her eyes, feeling somewhat bemused. "I don't think you can win <em>wrong.</em>"</p><p>"Yes, you <em>can</em>. Because, because, because Shadow Waver would have never led us to do <em>anything</em>, she never cared about us either. You do, and nobodies want to go back to how things were.</p><p>"I... see..." No... no, she didn't. As a matter of fact, she had absolutely no idea how to even compute this discussion.</p><p>Dawn must have noticed her confusion, because she frowns, nodding slowly as she tilted her head. "Okay, okay, look at it like this. Shadow Waver wouldn't have let us set up camp. She definitely wouldn't have let us build up an outpost to rest. Nor would she give us a mission and then lead it... actually, why did you want to come with us specifically? I would have thought you'd rather secure the perimeter?"</p><p>"Might be some First one's tech-related materials that could give us an edge." At this point, she was almost certain that the mine was of value. She was hopeful that it'd be something the Horde could actually use, and not some silly princess 'power of friendship' nonsense (that still infuriated her whenever she thought of the battle of Brightmoon). "Seeing how the rebellion invaded, I thought it should be something to look into."</p><p>Her eyes dart towards Entrapta, who's been walking next to her all the while letting out 'aww' and 'ohh' at separate intervals, remembering last night's -actually very early this morning- brainstorming they'd had as to what exactly was in the mine.</p><p>Which was absolutely, and rather surprisingly, utterly fascinating. They both agreed that the materials were influenced by the first one's tech, giving it some unique properties that must have been lost when they disappeared, since it would otherwise have become the core of basic engineering materials, but without actual evidence or samples, they were left to theorising and deducing.</p><p>It was surprisingly nice, being able to talk to someone that could put as much on the table as they could take. Usually, Entrapta wasn't interested in the same areas Catra was, so it was only the rare mutual science-military moments when they truly understood what the other was saying. Mostly.</p><p>"...what's first one's tech?" Edmond asked curiously. The other four nodded curiously as they stare at her with hopeful stares. At least she assumes they hopeful since Dawn is the only of the squad not wearing her helmet. She should probably say something, but she'd rather not be a hypocrite, and it's not like those things are all that effective anyway.</p><p>"Oh." She hums, forcing herself out of her thoughts. "How did you put in, Entrapta? An advanced technology left behind by a lost civilisation, makes our modern innovation look like children toys, yes?"</p><p>"Yep." She smiles, looking up from her screen with far too many complex numbers that make Catra's head spin. "That's exactly how I would have put it."</p><p>"...Huh. So definitely an edge." Dawn nods sagely, eye slightly wide and... was she salivating?</p><p>"...But still, if this mine so valuable that they'd spend so many resources just to take it for less than a day?" Edmond asks, and Catra can almost see the faint frown behind his helmet as he pondered the same problem she found.</p><p>"No." Catra easily answers as she clicks her tongue dissatisfied. "We've missed something, the rebellion is many things, but they don't waste resources without a clear game."</p><p>"True. But the mine hasn't been used in <em>decades</em>. Look, the mining carts are half disintegrated."</p><p>"Maybe it's a precious resource?" He asked thoughtfully staring inside of the cart. "I think it might be gold." He comments, reaching out for the material. "But it-"</p><p>"Don't touch it!" Entrapta screams.</p><p>Catra blinks as he's thrown towards her. Letting out a muffled 'uff' as she catches him. Barely standing as she puts him down, she scowls. "Entrapta! What the hell?!" She snapped, irritatedly.</p><p>But she isn't listening, mask already on as she pulls out a strangely shaped contraception and moves it a faint distance on top of the material.</p><p>"<em>Arsenopyrite." </em>She whispers in blank quietness.</p><p>Catra's annoyance fades as she realises that Entrapta isn't exited.</p><p>No. She's <em>scared</em>.</p><p>Which, for a woman that didn't as much as blink when her five-meter tall robot went rogue and started a murder spree, was bloody terrifying.</p><p>"Entrapta?" She repeats, forcing calmness as she starts to consider.</p><p>In a fluid movement, Entrapta starts to tare apart the companion robots (except Emily, of course) in almost hysterical like movements. "It's poisonous to touch." She explains with a tense, forced calmness as she goes through another half disassembled robot. "But it can also be airborne."</p><p>Catra twitches. "It's a trap, then?" She askes slowly.</p><p>"...Most likely."</p><p>The atmosphere suddenly shifts from the easy-going banter to a brittle tense as she frowns thoughtfully. Mind spinning as she ponders that particular factor into this complexity. "And you decided to take apart the robots because...?"</p><p>She doesn't instantly answer, instead opting to hold a bunch of wires with her mouth as she rips out a metallic cylinder.</p><p>"This." She mumbles, reaching for a blow torch in her companion's compartment and starts to meld the metal together. "Is a filer I've been adding to the newer robots. The previous one had a certain level of water resistance, but with Mermista's hydrokinesis and Spinnerella aerokinesis, I decided it prudent to make them much finer to prevent or at least hinder their ability to damage them from inside." She smiles faintly, throwing her something before returning to the few half-standing robots.</p><p>Catra hums, ignoring the faintly panicking background sound that might be her heart beating as she stares at the oddly shaped helmet that's really not-helmet in her hand. It's an oddly shaped thing, she thinks as she straps it around her face and starts thinking.</p><p>"It's not perfect," Entrapta admits as she hands over another one with terrifying speed. "There's no eyewear, and It'll take hours to make one that completely kept poisonous airs out." She adds as she straps one around her own face. "But I do love last-minute inventions. More the challenge, right?"</p><p>Catra can't see it, but she knows there's a mad grin behind that mask. "Sure." She accepts easily. <em>Oh well</em>, she thinks idly, <em>they're all a little bit insane here anyway.</em></p><p>"Edmond. Use HR-E822526-" She barks, ignoring Entrapta's 'she's called Emily!', as she starts to formulate separate plans to the one currently in her mind."-to communicate with the other squads, have them all share the map data now and to arrive here as soon as possible. The rest of you are to continue going deeper with-" She stops, frowning thoughtfully as she stares at Entrapta's work. Out of the ten robot's, she's dismantled five, so..."-three robots, report every ten minutes. If we don't answer, you return under the assumption that we've been compromised. All clear?"</p><p>An echoing 'Yes 'Ma'am'' follows as a flurry of well-trained soldiers split to their given roles.</p><p>It's barely a minute later, when a resounding exposing echoes through the cave, rumbling of stones followed.</p><p>"Force Captin Scorpia, what's the situation?" A frown forms on her features as the second tic in silence. "Scorpia, repot." Her finger taps on the com, only for the sound of statistic to stops.</p><p>"-the perimeter! I repeat, multiple sitings of enemies have appeared and are surrounding the perimeter!"</p><p>"Scorpia, details. Enemy numbers and location!" Catra barks as she pulls her screen, reaching for her comm as she moves the microphone (an awkward movement with her mask already covering half her face) away from her mouth. "Squad Captin Edmond, secure the are, start coming to the other squads and have them prepared for possible engagement.</p><p>"Initial scans show roughly two hundred hostiles. I- er, we don't actually know their location, but they appear to be attacking from behind? They used the forest for cover, so the exact numbers are unknown.</p><p>"...I see. Casualty number?"</p><p>"...Uknown, however, it's at a minimum of the half."</p><p>"Understood... Scorpia, have the remaining members of squad one to seven delay and fall back towards camp, squad eleven and twelve are to retreat towards the mine, Squad eight and ten are to take any essentials down into the mine or destroy any important information, squad thirteen is to ask support from-" She frowns, quickly moving through her map as she tries to remember where she moved what. Maybe... she had been hoping to talk to him for a while, and he was close enough to actually reach them relatively soon. Might as well get both of them out of the way at the same time, then. "-Force Captain Kodiak as soon as that's done, squad nine will take all transports alongside them and enter the mine to the location I'm sending you now. I'll meet you there. Commander Catra, Out.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>Her heart beats as her staff slams on the back of the soldiers head. It's a fluid moment built from years of practice as her hips shift, using the momentum to her advantage as she uses the staff to stab another in the stomach.</p><p><em>Armour's too thick. </em>She thinks irritatedly as both blows do little more than disorientating the enemy. Eyes narrowing as she tries to make out their figure in the dark, she sidesteps towards the wall as her right-hand reaches for one of the rocks of the ground.</p><p>Not only was it thick, but it was, or at least it sounded, fully plated.</p><p>A challenge. She concedes. But it'll make little difference. And carefully, she throws the small rock towards where his(?) eye would be.</p><p>The pained screen tells her everything she needs to know. She spins towards the wall, jumping, as she arches her body, two fast succeeding steps up the wall and she backflips.</p><p>See. Something Catra had learnt early on when training as a soldier was that, no matter how much she wished for it, no matter how much she practices, she would always be lighter than the average human, there would always be that limit her strength wouldn't pass. But she'd learnt that she was far more flexible, and her senses were far sharper than any other. And, most importantly, her kinetic vision was second to none.</p><p>In a swift jabbing motion, the end of her staff slams into another's throat, hearing the sound of bending mettle before they let out a choking sound. A second later the sound of the body falling limp onto the ground echoes, soon to be dead.</p><p>The next two minutes can only be described as a blood bath, as her movements repeat, jabs stabs and rare deflections before the last of the bodies land limp onto the ground.</p><p>"Dam." Dawn whispers wide-eyed as Catra finishes the last soldier.</p><p>"Wat's wrong? First time?" She smiles, eyes sparkling with faint amusement. <em>Honestly. What were they teaching recruits nowadays?</em></p><p>"Yes, pl- <em>I mean </em><strong><em>no</em></strong>. No, I-" She mumbles something incomprehensible that Catra only pays half attention too, option to switch her coms chanal as she swifts between ideas.</p><p>"Scorpia, continue without us, well take a shortcut and meet you with Entrapta."</p><p>"Got it. See you in five."</p><p>"See you in five." She affirms before switching her com to Entraptas.</p><p>"Catra?" Entrapta calls, voice oddly forced as Catra tries to get remove the blood from under her claws.</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>"I think you might want to see this."</p><p>Catra blinks, turning to the squad before nodding.</p><p>"Right. We almost there."</p><p>It occurs to her, as they walk through the cave system, that she still hasn't been given an exact number of hostiles. She doesn't like that. It's... distressing, not knowing the exact movement's of her troops, the exact movements of her enemies, the exact map of the area the-</p><p>Catra's eye twitches. There's a large, oversized, cyan coloured door that looked uncomfortably princess-like. Not too dissimilar to the crystal temple where she'd-</p><p>She violently cuts those thoughts, walking towards where she assumes Entrapta would be, as she approaches an uncoherent source of mumbling</p><p>"Three hundred? No, maybe even four hundred years old? Wait. No, no, the room was sealed, so it might even be-"</p><p>"Entrapta, I'm more interested in whether or not you can get that thing open rather than it's age." Her fingers comb through the geniuses hair, a faint smirk on her lips as Entrapta blinks.</p><p>"Right, open... that... might take a while."</p><p>A frown forms as she calculates the time frame they have between their enemy and-"...How long is a while?"</p><p>"Well, I have to figure out how much of the current structure is built to support the ceiling, from there I have to figure out how much I would get away with removing... and to for that, I need to know how old it is to know how much the ceiling has sifted over the years.</p><p>"Entrapta, focus."</p><p>"...maybe three hours?"</p><p>"Three-? <em>Entrapta</em>, we'll be lucky if the rebellion takes ten minutes to burry us." If the rebellion was stupid, they might. ButCatra would not be caught relying on luck. "Okay." She muttered, ignoring the bluebell coloured eyes at the edge of her mind, refusing to die inside a collapsing mine. "Okay." She repeated with a nod. "Entrapta, how long would it take for you to figure out how fragile the ceiling is?"</p><p>"Oh... maybe some few minutes?"</p><p>"Okay, here is what I want you to do."</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>"Don't touch me, Horde scum." Is the first thing she's told as they enter the half-standing holding cell, Scorpia standing in her intimidating tall and unfairly muscular self.</p><p>Apart from blue skin, he appears rather, if bruised, human. Not that it's that much of a surprise. She notes, absent-minded and distractingly curios that the rebellion is mostly made up of human or near humans, which-</p><p>Well. She supposed the Horde had to have started somewhere. It's only guesswork, of course, but that thought combined with the knowledge that the Horde was once a princess kingdom belonged to the least human-like princess's...</p><p>She wondered, in a detached, curios thought, if she could use that to her advantage.</p><p>"...A more original insult would be appreciated, truthfully." She mutters to herself. "Is it that difficult to invent original insults? Surely it's not that complicated." She adds, nodding gratefully to the two soldiers (she'll make a note of them, they good soldiers.) "What exactly were you planing here, anyway?"</p><p>"Oh, wow. I knew you were evil, but I didn't know you were stupid too."</p><p>"This War says differently. What with you losing it." She retorts. "You knew there was an underground mine, that much is obvious, but you didn't expect <em>me</em> to be here, which means that there's something here that the rebellion wants hidden."</p><p>"Y-You" <em>Hmm</em>. There was also the question as to why now, years after it was taken. Maybe She-ra's reappearance had broadened the rebellions options? It's the only option she can actually come up with since she doesn't think it's was an assassination attempt.</p><p>Actually, she doesn't even think the rebellion knows Shadow Waver has been replaced. Which, for one, is irritating because she doesn't want her work being credited to that woman again, and two, is somewhat infuriating because <em>why the hell hasn't the Horde have any inside information?</em></p><p>"Honestly. You aren't even making it hard." She points instead, lacing her tone with just the right amount of infuriating amusement, reaching out for her screen as she quickly types a reply for Entrapta. "It's rather amusing, actually. I only noticed the mine because you were hiding it."</p><p>He looks away, jaw tightening as his breath runs rugged. And-</p><p>And, tilting her head, she stares at him for a moment, humming softly as she ponders. It should be mentioned that, to her ire, she was physically the second weakest of her squad. Which was an unfair assessment, since her contenders were gym-aholic Lonnie, workaholic (far two unfairly ripped) Adora, and <em>Rogelio</em>.</p><p>Because she can throw a punch just fine, as proven when she punches his face hard enough to throw him back, stumbling as he slams into the table, and then the flaw.</p><p>"C-Catra?"</p><p>He lets out a snort. "Resorting to violence, and here I thought you lot couldn't get any lower?"</p><p>"...It's difficult to tell, with your blue skin." She says softly, taking a slow step before she sits on the table.</p><p>"...what?" He hisses, whipping the blood that has started to fall from his nose before standing and taking a threatening step forward.</p><p>He stills when both soldiers raise their weapon. Her index finger lets out a claw, slowly cutting through his shirt. "I have a sharp sense of smell, see, and I can tell when someones dying." She admits lazily as her mind spirals with countless different ideas. "You have blood loss, not something that would usually be a problem, but you deep in Horde territory, they can't save you, so you opted to be the distraction." She hums, shirt ripped in half as she pokes the deeply burnt skin. "You burnt your skin to meld it together, must have been quite the deep wound, huh."</p><p>"What the hell are you talking about?" It's there, faint, almost unnoticeable.</p><p>There's<em> fear</em>.</p><p>Good. He should fear her.</p><p>"Mh-hmm? You shouldn't have gotten up, a bit of a giveaway. You've lost your sense of touch, haven't you?" His shoulders tense, staring at her wide-eyed as she pulls a blue symboled stone out of his pocket.</p><p>"Just now?" She asks with a smirk. "I was messaged that the bunker we've spent the past hour building was ready. But when this stone is crushed, your teammates will leave with 'mission success'."</p><p>"That's a transmitter, we-"</p><p>"Save it." She sighed tiredly. "I was raised by <em>Shadow Waver</em>, I can tell when something does and doesn't work. The only magic left is in its shape. I guess that when the pressure crashes it'll let out a spark for your friends."</p><p>The question now is what's this something the rebellion is going so far to hide...No. Not something, the princesses would have hidden it better. They wanted to bury the <em>whole mine</em>, which means that it's the mine itself that they trying to hide." She blinks, staring at the stone as she wonders what that idea means, and what it changes. "Ohoho. Bin-go."</p><p>Despair shifted through his features as she put it back into his pocket.</p><p>"Scorpia? Knock him out."</p><p>"Sure." Scorpia nodded, sifting somewhat uncomfortably.</p><p>"Go to hell!" He screams with venomous eyes.</p><p>"I'll get to that too, eventually. Who knows, I might even remember to make you a sweet, warm prison there." She waves lazily as they start walking down the tunnel. "Just because I'm nice." She adds amused, her soldiers following easily as they walk into the working room (a bunker, he thinks furiously).</p><p>His breath hitches, muscles constricting as the faint sound of rumbling starts to echo through the halls.</p><p>And the darkness starts to take him as he curses the women whose name he has never learnt.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>Catra's book of <em> idiots </em>:</p><p><strong>Emily: </strong>Identification code HR-E822526, the first 'new' model, noted for its powerful firepower. Shares a similar appearance to the most common models. Entrapta is known to be particularly fond of the model.</p><p><strong>Fane</strong>: Identification code HS-F74026, average grades, no particular talents with the exception of above-average charisma. Freshly graduated, which shows in his excitable personality. Posses an unusually high connection with his team compared to the standard graduated squad.</p><p><strong>Dawn:</strong> Identification code HS-D75174, below-average grades, noted for her lack of interest in academics, the newest graduates. Seems more of a people person than an academic one, as seen with her friendship with Edmond.</p><p><strong>Edmond:</strong> Identification code HS-E75169, high grades, academically driven, uncomfortable outside of guidelines, one of the newest graduates. Noted for his close friendship with Dawn.</p><p><strong>Kodiak: </strong>Uknown force Captain.</p><p><em> Catra's book on how to  </em> <strong> <em> not </em> </strong> <em>  be an idiot: </em></p><p><strong>Arsenopyrite: </strong>A toxic metal that can be harmful if inhaled, toxic when the material is heated.</p><hr/><p>
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  <strong>Not quite at the level, I wanted it, but I've spent the past two weeks literally staring it and only twerking ten or so words a day, so I drop it down like this.</strong>
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  <strong>In case you wondering, Catras book's of idiots is because I always find it a nightmare to follow any OC's, more often than not wondering who I'm reading about. So yeah, half for me, half for anyone like me.</strong>
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  <strong>Might return in some few months and rework on it, but for now, this is the final version (probably not, I'll probably start editing it by the end of the week).</strong>
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  <strong>Thoughts? Did you enjoy it?</strong>
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  <strong>Anyways, Ill See you next time! Ciao!</strong>
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  <strong>~ Sapphire and Emeralds</strong>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3 ~ Unearth II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
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  <strong>A/N: She-ra and the Princess of power were made by J. Michael Straczynski and Larry DiTillio, I only take credit for my own added character's and storylines. Similarly, any references will be attributed to their original creators when they pop up.</strong>
</p><p><strong>Recommended story:</strong> Vader's Last Apprentice by Browncoat_Valentine_335</p><p>A Star wars She-ra crossover were Catra leaves the Horde just after Adora does and becomes the apprentice of a self-exiled second death star survived Darth Vader. An interesting read, since there's a surprising amount of similarities between Anakin and Catra, especially when you see Vader learnt from his own life and is now trying to help her.</p><p>
  <strong>BTW, I also have a Fanfic account where I'm also publishing, if you prefer reading it there~.</strong>
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  <strong>Enjoy!</strong>
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  <strong>Book I: Of Shard and Concept</strong>
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  <strong>Chapter 3 ~ Unearth II</strong>
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  <strong><em>Content Warning! </em>Implied depression, dissociation and some other mental illness will take part as well as implied death. If any of the above is something you are not comfortable with, then you might want to skip this fic.</strong>
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  <strong>There's also LGBT, but what are you doing here if that's a surprise?</strong>
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</p><hr/><p>Catra rubbed her cheek, half-heartedly listening to the tumbling behind the door. The problem with creating a persona as it overlapped her own was that it was exhausting to actually differentiate which of the two was her. How Shadow Weaver had oscillated between metaphorical mask's for <em>years</em> was beyond her, let alone the fact that she had more than one. But she'd learnt it, memorized it, carefully implemented it to a point she could easily picture one for her own. Sometimes, she'd pretend that Shadow Waver had known, distantly naturing her rather than-</p><p>"You both did well." She praises the guards. "You can take a break, you've earned it." Barely noting their salutes, her eyes dart around the... room? Chamber, perhaps? It's... built disturbingly similar to that of the Whispering Woods. Brightly coloured crystal gleam as if their reflected sunlight, building the main structures of the room, such as pillars, pathways and the door.</p><p>Thought... it is not identical to the one of her memory, it is clearly built inside of a natural cave, visible grey of smooth stone and the faintest traces of nature a visible present, and, if anything, it's been unattended for far too long if the cracks and half standing structures are of any indication.</p><p>Scorpia shifts uncomfortably, and it's only then that her eyes finally land on her expression. A slight tenseness on her facial features, much like-</p><p>"Scorpia?" She calls, her throat filling dry as she can't help but note her smile, so similarly strained to the one Adora's was whenever Catra did- "Something wrong?"</p><p>"Eh? No! Nothing at all. Just... thinking, you know?" She mumbles, and Catra bites her tongue as her eyes narrow.</p><p>"Don't lie to me!" She hisses, a sudden pounding at her chest as she grits her teeth. "If you don't want to say it then <em>don't</em>. But don't lie to me!" When Scorpia flinches, Catra feels something rise in her stomach. "If you rather not do something then just tell me." She repeats, jaw still clenched but somewhat softer than before. "I'm not out to make you uncomfortable, idiot.</p><p>"...Sorry. It's... I mean... that man..."</p><p>Catra raises her eyebrow, anger replacing for confusion as she considers what Scorpia's trying to say between stutters.</p><p>"I-Is this going t-to happen often?"</p><p>"You're... going to have to specify on that one"</p><p>"I-I mean, the... being crushed alive."</p><p>"No." She shakes her head slowly. "He was already dying and we didn't have the resources to save him... He died instantly if that helps." Catra bites her cheek, unsure as to what exactly Scorpia wants her to say. "Would you mind checking on the squads?" She offers instead.</p><p>"...Sure."</p><p>Catra doesn't initially turn away as Scorpia starts walking away, a faint frown on her features as she notes another thought in the back of her mind. Shadow Waver didn't have to deal with any of this, she mutters faintly irritatedly once Scorpia's out of hearing range. But then, Shadow Waver had been an eery, wrath like creature that practically towered every other soldier in the army.</p><p>Catra, on the other hand, is shorter than the huge majority of individuals she's met. She pretends otherwise, usually standing with her heels off the ground, she has unruly hair, because she's small and barely developed muscle, and she wears a headpiece, since a teenage girl isn't exactly the highest form of intimidating features to posses.</p><p>(It's the only gift from Adora she still has. A simple logic from a ten-year-old, that if she wears protection on her cheeks, Shadow Waver won't strike her on the face.)</p><p>
  <em>Sometimes, I wonder if I should just make a run for it towards the mounting regions at the edge of their lands.</em>
</p><p>Nonsense, of course. She's too much of a megalomaniac to ever truly consider it.</p><p>"Oh! Catra! Could you put this on?" Barely having time to process, her breathing mask, which she'd been told she <em>needed</em>, was removed and replaced with something on her ears.</p><p>"Wh- Entrapta! What the hell?"</p><p>"Wait! Listen to it! Can you hear it?"</p><p>Catra's eye twitched, sending the scientist a glare as she focused on the strange sound from the headset.</p><p>"It's..." She frowned as she started focusing on the strange noise that seemed to-"Patterns? Is this... a language?"</p><p>"Why, yes! I do believe that is that case, which is absolutely fascinating since Etheria only has one language." Entrapta grins, reaching for her notebook as she starts writing something that's still beyond Catra. "But! This is the most fascinating part!" Entrapta tears out the page, drawing a circle before she thrusts it into her hands. "Do you recognise this?"</p><p>Альянс</p><p>Catra stares blankly, unsure as to how to even begin to pronounce that as she looks up. "No?"</p><p>"It's in Brightooms royal chamber, it was the symbol that represented alliance. At least, we were lead to believe it was a symbol."</p><p>"So... the princesses have a secret language to communicate with each other?" Catra mused at the thought, somewhat apprehensive at the prospect with her hopeful plans of starting infiltration into the rebellion. Of course, she could probably get someone to spill the secrets, but if it was an ancient language, the prospects of finding anyone that knew... it... "We?"</p><p>"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I'm fairly sure the rebellion doesn't know that it's a word. Or a language." Entrapta smiles gleefully at the discovery. If it's the knowledge of a new language or the knowledge that the rebellion never realised such is something Catra debates.</p><p>"Huh." And Catra... had no idea what to make of that. The idea that at one point, there'd been a language in an era advanced enough to be digitally recorded and yet not remembered-</p><p>Not remembered.</p><p>"They wanted to bury this place."</p><p>"Yes. That is usually what occurs when you blow up a cave." Entrapta offers, opening one of the terminals metallic covering as she starts fiddling with the wires.</p><p>"Yeah." Catra hisses, annoyed. "But they wanted to burry this specifically. Which makes no sense, technology is the Horde's biggest asset, why wouldn't they try to use this to even the field?"</p><p>"...Catra, you do realise that technology isn't exactly cherished in the Rebellion, right?"</p><p>"You're the princess of technology!" Catra frowns, biting her tongue as she notes Entrapta's uncomfortable shift. "...Explain...please."</p><p>"It's... first ones were considered the most advanced civilisation... but while records of their disappearance are lost, it's widely agreed that the cause was due to advance in technology, science in general, truthfully." Entrapta frowns, staring at the panel blankly. "Before the Horde started expanding, Dryl was the only kingdom where scientific research was legalised.</p><p>"They... made it illegal? <em>Seriously</em>?"</p><p>Entrapta hums, pulling on one of the wires as she holds it with her mouth. Catra twitches, stopping herself from snatching the -almost certainly- still powered wire.</p><p>"Yes. I was rather worried about that, actually. As someone that lives in a kingdom of robots, the only thing that actually stopped other kingdoms from attacking my own was, ironically, the horde. I was rather surprised that they offered me a place in their alliance. In retrospect, I supposed they realised they needed the ability to hijack the Horde's technology without wishing to actually have to develop their own."</p><p>Catra bites her lip, leaning on the wall as she wonders what exactly is wrong with the rebellion. She always knew what the Horde told her was propaganda, but while they were off the mark, the rebellion felt... off. Honestly, it would help if the Horde actually had reliable data to actually base facts on, and not the terrible half stiched reports that were far in between.</p><p>The problem, she thought tiredly. Is that while there's little to work from, I get the feeling the rebellion popped up a little too fast and effective for there not to be something off about it.</p><p>"Oh! Look, it works!"</p><p>"Wh-"</p><p>"Greetings, I am D-0023. How may I be of assistance?" A transparent circle floats at the centre of the panel, innocent looking and guilty of Catra's growing migraine.</p><p>"Oohhh! It <em>speaks</em>!</p><p><em>Half</em> guilty.</p><p>"..." Of course it speaks! Why ever would she think something that Entrapta touched wouldn't. "What are you?" She askes instead.</p><p>"I am D-0023, Interactive assistant, How may I be of assistance?"</p><p>"I... see." Catra frowned, ignoring the building irritation as she pondered her questions. "What is the purpose of this installation?"</p><p>"Warning, information restricted, please state unit's code."</p><p>"Ah... Who built this installation?"</p><p>"Warning, information restricted, please state unit's code."</p><p>Her eye twitched, glaring at the machine as she bit her tongue.</p><p>"...How old is this installation?"</p><p>"This installation was constructed 2867 Циклы ago. Last manual maintenance recorded 2102 Циклы ago."</p><p>Of course, it wouldn't give me a straight answer. Hordak forbids it be easy.</p><p>"Are there any other installations like this one?"</p><p>"... Error, user unknown, conclusion, hostile presence, initiation self-destructive system."</p><p>...Did she say easy? Oh, how silly of her.</p><p>"Don't worry about it." Entrapta waves away, pulling some cables as the screens power's cuts off. "The alliance used all the detonations to blow the place up." Entrapta blinks, smiling widely as she lets out a disturbing sound. "Oh! How clever! They didn't actually-"</p><p>"I'll have someone make a tent nearby" Catra interrupts, far to disorientated to care that she's being ignored. "Try not to scare them off this time."</p><p>For a moment longer, Catra stares at the -definitely mad- scientists, letting out a tired sigh knowing full well that nothing she's said has been heard as she starts walking towards the heart of the camp.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>"I'll have you through in a minute, commander."</p><p>Catra nods absentmindedly. Her claw tracing over her worn mask's lines as she contemplates what exactly she knows of the 'First ones'. Which, by the name, implies very, very little.</p><p>The problem, she thinks, somewhat irritatedly, is that what people tell her and what she finds counter each other out. Such us the description of a peaceful race. Peaceful cultures can't suddenly disappear without a trace. Or the countless locations only touched by time, but not a single corps remains to be found. Or the fact that the lounge they've found on the terminal, and the language they found in temples differ.</p><p>It doesn't add up, she knows. But she doesn't know<em> why</em> it's being hidden. And what else could it be, if not a clear attempt of hiding something significant?</p><p>That worries her. The sheer amount of knowledge lost in such a little amount of time. Her orders in the mine, for example, had been based on the assumption that the rebellion had been planting bombs and not that they had telepathic invisible bombs. Because, as one of the few sane people on this planet, Catra wasn't particularly comfortable with the thought of magical non-logical detonation's. There had to be some form of rules it followed or the rebellion would have never lost the amount of territory it had.</p><p>"Ma'am! Force Captin Kodiak is on the line."</p><p>Catra nods, making another note to look into later as she straightens her posture. "Put him through, then."</p><p>"Yes Ma'am!"</p><p>For a second, the screen stays blank, and Catra can't help but wonder if something else isn't going to work today.</p><p>To her relief, she's proven wrong, screen flickering to life as they -finally- contact outside forces.</p><p>"Commander." His voice was a deep, pleasant one. So very different from Grizzlor's. She'd made the mistake of assuming they'd be similar, which, in a way, they were. Tall, muscular and radiating confidence. But that was where it ended.</p><p>Because Kodiak is clearly half-human, unlike Grizzlor, whos entirely... well, she doesn't think there's an actual term for the varying sentient species - not that she knows of, at least- since they always referred to as Etherian's. But half human's aren't exactly a rare sight in the horde. If anything she'd say they make up over half of their numbers. Sometimes, she wonders if she's a half-human herself. Not that it matters, she doubts anyone alive still knowns which village she was taken from as a newborn.</p><p>Anyway, it mostly catches her off guard that he's so... amiable looking, even with the faint scars on his face, grey mane-like hair and... she's not sure how to call it, but he has a presence that's just difficult not to note.</p><p>He looks nice, she thinks. "Force Captin." She greets with the pleasant tone she's used for years with members of the Horde she didn't want to cross. "I apologise for the lack of arrangments, I'm afraid a much higher number of rebels past through the border that was originally stated.</p><p>"Oh, I see." He replies, nodding sympathetically. "I suppose you wish for some reinforcements?"</p><p>Seems nice, but his well within his late eighties. And Catra knows the mortality rate of the Horde. Just like she knows how dangerous this man must be to have lived through it.</p><p>"If possible." She replies with an 'I won't order it but if you don't comply and I'll have you court-martialed tone.</p><p>Not that it's something hell note, but the subtext implication is something he without a doubt knows. After all, he survived Shadow Waver.</p><p>"Of course, we've already received the scouting data, I'll have two hundred troops there by tomorrow by 6:00."</p><p>"Thank you." She can't help the slight relief that escapes her.</p><p>It's been a long day.</p><p>"Commander, if you don't mind me asking why did you become the commander."</p><p>She's taken aback by the blunt question, somewhat off footed and very much on guard. "What?"</p><p>"When the previous commander was seen unfit for duty, you could have given it to someone more experienced. After all, you yourself barely had two months of experience in the field." Catra frowns, wondering whether he's implying that she's incompetent or not. It matters little, since before she can reply he shakes his head. "Ah, I apologise. An old's man stray thought, Commander."</p><p>Even as the screen cuts off, Catra continue's to frown, staring where he was for minutes more.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>She stares.</p><p>It must be dark outside by now, she thinks as she idly watches the ceiling. It's a strange thing to see, a light so bright that it illuminates as far as one's eye can see.</p><p>As long as she can remember the sky has always oscillated between dark red and pitch black, blurring out the outlines of their capital while the edges are eaten by shadows. Not the strange brightness that radiates from the sky, as if a giant light bulb illuminated the entire land.</p><p>A very, very strange sight to see indeed. One that's not visible hundred of meters below ground.</p><p>Letting out an irritated sigh, she leaves her sleeping bag and starts to walk around the edges of their set up base. Only thirty left. of the original ner seventy that she'd brought.</p><p>She... didn't particularly like thinking about it.</p><p><em>I could have stooped it</em>, she thinks tiredly. She could have easily brought more troops. She could have easily requested more troops, at any point before she entered the mine. She could have abandoned the mine, united her forces to eliminate the enemy.</p><p>But she hadn't, and now there were forty people dead for a curiosity that might be of passing interest.</p><p>She wanted to throw up.</p><p>Leaning on one of the large pillars away from the camp, she slides down and buries her head in her knees.</p><p>The strangest part, she ponders, is that she's surprised that she's feeling... like <em>this</em>.</p><p>It's not that her orders hadn't gotten soldiers killed before. And it wasn't even that at the end she decided to pull back empty-handed...but...</p><p>Closing her eyes, she pictures Dawn's radiant smile, skipping with her team as Edmond sends his friend an expatriates glance.</p><p>Her breath hitches and she knows the worst part is that she doesn't understand <em>why</em>. She's always been fairly self-aware, usually more negative than positive, but self-aware none the less. But... at some point, something inside her changed, broke, maybe.</p><p>Or... or maybe she always has been broken. Maybe that's why Adora left.</p><p>Letting out a hiss, she stands, muttering under her breath as she starts walking back towards camp.</p><p>She can do better, she thinks, moving the tent's material for a door. She can learn, and she has learnt, and next time, she won't make the same mistakes.</p><p>"Found anything interesting?" She asks curiously, ignoring the dark spiralling of her own mind.</p><p>Entrapta frowns thoughtfully, typing to fast for Catra to actually understand as she takes a seat next to the bed. "I think so... my program is still running diagnosis, but I'm fairly certain that the materials we've found surrounding Etheria are-" She trailed off, unsure as to how to put it as she hands her one of the screens display.</p><p>"A machine?" She offers, reaching for one of Scorpia made sandwiches.</p><p>"...No, machines have proven to have no compatibility with magic. This... this is... significantly more complex than the first one's tech you brought me."</p><p>"How come? I know you've been struggling to perfectly reverse engineer it, but I thought it was simply time-consuming."</p><p>"No. It's... The First one's tech works together with magic, yes, but that's superficial. The deeper I look the more I realise that they are completely separate mechanisms in the same place. Saying that the techno-organic was correct, but it seems that their similarities are superficial alone."</p><p>Catra blinks. "...Entrapta... is this the First one's tech at all, or...?</p><p>"I think, that this is something completely unimaginable that the first ones found." She answers slowly. "They then imperfectly reversed engineered it with a minimum understanding, and built everything we know on top of it."</p><p>"...Unimaginable, huh." Her lips form into an amused smirk as she purrs. "And how long is it going to take you to figure them out?"</p><p>Entrapta grins her ridiculous happily smile that Catra relishes far more than she cares to admit, pulling out a tablet as she starts scrolling through it. "To start reverse engineering it, I probably do have enough data. The wall I'm hitting is <em>how</em> it works. Oh! This is absolutely <em>fascinating. </em>Different technological cultures have been built on top of each other, and the further we dig, the more complex the puzzle gets!"</p><p>"Wait, backtrack. How many cultures are we talking about?" And where are they now? The First ones existed millennia ago, from what Entrapta had told her, but there was nothing of their existence in the Horde arcades. Catra had checked. Twice.</p><p>"No idea! So far I've found three main different forms, thought the most prominent is that of the first ones." She answered thoughtfully, showing Catra different diagrams that make her head spin.</p><p>"...And it's... underground? Actually, everything we find seems to be underground, doesn't it? And it's not something like two or three meters that happens because of time. We've already gone a good five hundred meters deep." Was it built underground? Why would they do that? The only reasoning Catra could come up with were military-related. Thought that would support her theory that they hadn't been as peaceful as most claimed them to be.</p><p>"Currently five hundred and eleven! But yes, it's curious that you would also notice that! As a matter of fact, I've been brainstorming all night trying to figure that out! And I believe it likely that the whole planet was artificially made." She practically salivates as her eyes sparkle. "Evidence is supported by the techno-organic readings that increase the deeper we reach! Oh, the things will find if we reach the end!"</p><p>"...Made? Wait, I thought you said it was modified? You telling me that someone made a <em>planet</em>?!"</p><p>"Why, <em>yes</em>! I was under the impression it was only modified as well. The reasoning behind this is because it was the First-Ones that<em> modified</em> Etheria, not the ones... that..." She trails off as her eyes slowly widen.</p><p>"Entrapta?"</p><p>"You... understood that?" She murmurs, staring at her as if she's only just seen her.</p><p>"Yeah?" Catra frowns, somewhat affronted as she wonders if her intelligence is being put into question. "Someone made the planet before the First ones modified it."</p><p>"...Yeah... that's... It's just that you didn't understand it when I was hacking the black garnet."</p><p>Catra's cheeks redden slightly as she looked away. "Yeah, but you gave me notes, remember? I like to <em>not</em> be stupid, so I read through them."</p><p>"...Oh."</p><p>And there's a weird tone in her voice. It's... something that makes her shift uncomfortably. "Entrapta? ...you okay?"</p><p>"...No one's read through my notes before." She whispered as her lips trembled.</p><p>"I-" Catra sighed, moving next to Entrapta as she leaned onto her shoulder. "Honestly, I only got half of it. The other half used words like 'P-waves', 'seismicity' and... 'plates'?. Where do you even learn these words? I didn't see anything like that back in Dryl."</p><p>Entrapta sniffed, a faint smile forming on her lips. "Bow's Dad's live at a library. It's significantly better stocked than any other I've seen, so I usually just borrowed books from there."</p><p>"Huh... pity they not Horde, or I'd pay a visit."</p><p>"They actually neutral, so I don't think they'd mind." Entrapta mumbles. "Maybe I can take you and Scorpia there for a visit. It'd be nice to see them again."</p><p>"...Do you want to talk about it?"</p><p>"Talk about what?"</p><p>"...Feelings? I guess? ...I mean, you did defect from the rebellion." Catra offers awkwardly. Entrapta seems to realise what she's saying anyway.</p><p>"...Not really? I... wasn't really a popular princess. I've mentioned Etherias view on science, yes? I've noted a... lacking the ability to read other people, particularly as to what is and isn't expected of me. And while I do bere the title of princes, I was adopted by my parents, so..."</p><p>"...You... don't speak about them?" She askes tentatively.</p><p>"They passed away. They were robots, made by the previous princess some few centuries ago. I... tried repairing them, but-" Entrapta hugged her knees, burying her head into them as her shoulders started to shake. "I was so, so stupid, they'd died, and I was arrogant enough to believe that I could... that'd I'd be able to-"</p><p>"Hey." Catra bites her lip, is she having a mental break down? Oh, Hordak, Catra was not suited for this. "Oh, Entrapta, it's-" Well. It probably wasn't okay, was it? If Catra was reading properly beneath the lines. "Entrapta," Catra called in a gentle tone. "I'm here, okay? I'm-" Catra swallowed thickly, realising that she was generally scared for Entrapta. "I'm not going anywhere, yeah?"</p><p>Weekly nodding she berried her head into her Catra's chest.</p><p>"Promise?"</p><p>
  <em>(It doesn't matter what they do to us. Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Promise?</em>
</p><p><em>I </em> <strong> <em>promise</em> </strong> <em>.</em></p><p>
  <em>Because I-)</em>
</p><p>Catra flinches, a moment of hesitation before she awkwardly pulls Entrapta into an embrace as she hides her poisoned heart.</p><p>"Entrapta. I promise you I won't leave for as long as you want me."</p><p>"...Thank you." She murmurs quietly.</p><p>"Don't thank me just yet." She huffs. "I'm a complete mess. I'll drive you mad by the month, you'll see."</p><p>"Oh... I've noticed that. You've shown constant symptoms of Borderline personality disorder as well as possible Generalised anxiety disorder as well as dissa-.</p><p>"Wait, what-" Catra bristled offendedly, not knowing what any of that means but knows her well enough to know it's unlikely to be flattering.</p><p>"It's okay." She murmurs. "I know you do love."</p><p>"..."</p><p>"Scorpia and I aren't going to leave you either. You know that right?" Entrapta tells her with conviction.</p><p>"...People tend to leave me. One way or another."</p><p>"...Well. I think I'm selfish. I don't much care for the war, and I don't really get half of the ethics people always shout at me. But I care for my research. And now I care for you."</p><p>"Selfish, hmm?" Catra's embrace tightened as she buried her face into Entrapta's hair. Absentmindedly realising that tears are falling as well. "Thank you." She whispered.</p><p>"...Does this mean I can pet your ears?"</p><p>"Entrapta, don't ruin this."</p><p>"Sorry.</p><p>"..." She lets out an irritated huff of air. "You have ten seconds, any longer and It's the <em>claw</em>."</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>
  <span class="u">Catra's book of <em>idiots </em>:</span>
</p><p><strong>Kodiak:</strong> A Force Captain that was born during the last King's rule. Amiable looking, thought there is far more than meets the eye if only due to him still living.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> Catra's book on how to </em> <em>not </em> <em>be an idiot: </em> </span>
</p><p><strong>P Waves:</strong> A seismic wave that travels in the opposite and same direction of the moving wave.</p><p><strong>Seismicity:</strong> Frequency of earthquakes in a given region.</p><p><strong>Techno-Organic:</strong> A technological and biological merge into a single entity, fused at cellular level.</p><hr/><p>
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  <strong>I'll get Scorpia and Catra friendship eventually, really! It's just... Scropia's entered Catra's life at the worst time possible, so there's going to be a lot of awkwardness before they start to understand each other.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>On another note, I finally put some Entrapta and Catra screen time, so that's one out of two down. Honestly! I thought Scorpia would be the easiest to write, but so far she's been the hardest to understand. Not to say the other two an easy, Catra in particular is interesting to write. Truthfully, the more I try to figure out Adora's and Catra's bond, the more complex it gets. Which is the main reason it took me so long to write this chapter in particular.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>On another note, Альянс is Russian (which hopefully was correctly translated) that means alliance. I won't further that subject until some few later chapters since I only now putting my own twist to Princess of Power.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Thoughts? Anything you enjoy in particular?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Anyways, Ill See you next time! Ciao!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>~ Sapphire and Emeralds</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4 ~ Our Wound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>A/N: She-ra and the Princess of power were made by J. Michael Straczynski and Larry DiTillio, I only take credit for my own added character's and storylines. Similarly, any references will be attributed to their original creators when they pop up.</strong>
</p><p><strong>Recommended story: </strong>Hello my old heart by buckysbears (DrZebra)</p><p>Post-season 5 fluff. Just fluff and a touched starved Catra with some humour. It's a one-shot in three separate works. Realistic characters and Catra just really makes you want to hug her (which is the main theme with the fic, you'll see).</p><p>
  <strong>BTW, I also have a Fanfic account where I'm also publishing, if you prefer reading it there~.</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>Enjoy!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Book I: Of Shard and Concept</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 4 ~ Our Wound</strong>
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  <strong><em>Content Warning! </em>Implied depression, BPD, abuse, suicidal thoughts and other similar themes (if you squint you eyes). If any of the above is something you are not comfortable with, then you might want to skip this fic.</strong>
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  <strong>There's also LGBT, but what are you doing here if that's a surprise?</strong>
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</p><hr/><p>What is death?</p><p>An end? Perhaps a relief? Does it have a meaning?</p><p>One would think, that a lifetime -no matter how short- of living in a militaristic country would have taught her to understand such a concept. That perhaps, she had a deeper understanding of it, some world-shattering truth that could be expressed in scarce words.</p><p>Within hours she'd turn around the tide of battle, having regrouped with Captain Kodiak's reinforcements at the edge of the forest, destroyed the enemy forces and retaken the territory with near no causalities.</p><p>Truthfully, compared to the barely ten minutes of combat, the hours spent leading scouting teams as they searched a stable path towards the surface had been far more exhausting. The structure had been far larger than that of what initially been predicted, its structure similar to that of a labyrinth, albeit rather luxuriously designed. Through the duration of the exploration, she couldn't help but suspect it'd been intentionally built as such, hiding something from whichever enemies the First one's had designated as hostiles during their reign.</p><p>The ten, maybe fifteen-minute battle had killed several what she presumed laid at the 250 soldiers, either by the ignited forest fire or hunted by her own.</p><p>It's a resounding victory, proving her worth as a commander and reclaims her confidence in her ability to both plan and lead.</p><p>But she stares, face blank as she wonders what purpose there is to wielding this war between the Alliance and the Horde. Was it worth the forty dead soldiers she'd lead here? Was it worth the three hundred and so enemy soldiers that died here between the two days?</p><p>The bulk of their soldiers are made up of war orphans, recruited to serve their rightful ruler as they reclaim their land from the instigating princesses. <em>All of them</em>, she thinks tiredly, <em>could have been one of mine in another lifetime, a single different choice could have made one of mine into foes.</em></p><p><em>Those numbers have meaning now.</em> And maybe it's because she's responsible for their deaths, instead of reading it from an instructed lesson. Maybe it's because this is the first time there have been any significant casualties since she's taken command. Or... maybe, it's because this is the first time she's known some of these people, no matter how short or even lack of any significant exchange of words.</p><p>She gazes at the scorched land, burns and smoke still blowing off the ground, fingers drumming on her battered staff and the smell of copper ever-present and the ruins of their transports half standing and...</p><p>...and forgotten. It's all that's left, now.</p><p>But what does it mean? Does it even mean anything at this point?</p><p>"Ma'am?" Catra blinks repetitively, snapping out of her dazed gaze as she turns towards Fane. "You might want to see this?"</p><p>Catra raised an eyebrow, nodding, she peered past his shoulder to the dead body.</p><p>"Oh." Well. That...</p><p>The rebellion was an alliance of independent nations, Scorpia and Entrapta had explained not that long ago. That meant, that not only was there no specified uniform for them (thought small groups did tend to usually match) but did not have a specific symbol to differentiate between them.</p><p>In recent months, however, they'd taken to having a sword, blade aiming downwards shadowed by a rainbow. Not particularly difficult to figure out, but that wasn't what drew Catra's apprehension.</p><p>On the dead rebellion soldier, there was a simple half oval shape with tiny circular ones sticking from it.</p><p>"Any ideas?" She asked Scorpia curiously.</p><p>"...no, at least, not something I think I've seen before... I think it might be a pot of gold?"</p><p>"A... pot of gold?"</p><p>"Yeah? You know. At the end of the rainbow?" Scorpia tilts her head, smiling sheepishly when they all stare blankly. "Nobody? ...Only me then.</p><p>"End of the rainbow..." Catra frowned, grabbing the uniform as she memorized the symbol.</p><p>The more answers she finds, the darker the picture gets. She almost misses the simplicity of having to destroy the Alliance, nowadays it feels like every problem she solves brings her three new ones.</p><p>Not that it matters now. The man's dead, any possible clues destroy in the past day... The man's dead, as are those that were his friends, comrades, and maybe those he considered family.</p><p>A shiver goes through her at the thought. Letting out an aggravated sigh as she rubs her arm, her eyes dart towards Scorpia, and for a moment she wonders-</p><p>"We heading back as soon as the perimeter's set up." She speaks tiredly. "Have the list of deceased and injured ready by then." Barely noting the response, she turns back towards the ruined landscapes and ponders.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>"The third battalion is the closest." She admits with a frown, staring at the forest-covered map and the only clear route. "And if they move on Erelandia, the rebellion would be forced to move-"</p><p>"Yeah, small problem. The third battalion is refusing to fight because they need more resources. They put in... Oh, six requests for them. I swear you read this yesterday?"</p><p>"Yes, and I sent them to the armoury <em>yesterday</em>!" Catra snapped. "I'm a little bit <em>busy</em> trying to keep things together while I'm reorganising!" She sighed tiredly, lack of sleep catching up to her, she thinks as she rubs her eyes. "Not that anyone seems to care."</p><p>"...I care."</p><p>"..." Catra looked away, shifting her weight from one foot to another. Unsure as to what to say, she offers an uncomfortable nod instead. "Fine, resend the request. Again."</p><p>"Ah...boy, I sure would love to do that... but the armoury is out of armour."</p><p>"Then have them resupply." She hissed.</p><p>"Okay!" She laughs awkwardly, as the continue to slide through her grasp. "Ah, give me a sec. They so slippery!"</p><p>"Argh!" Snatching the files from her claws, Catra spreads them throughout the table as she frowns in irritation. "How am I supposed to deal with the rebellion If I'm stuck doing<em> paperwork</em>! I bet Shadow Waver didn't have to deal with half of this."</p><p>"Ah... These are her files, so she probably did... just saying. Just a guess on my part-"</p><p>Catra ears twitch letting out an irritated breath as she turns around. Seconds later Entrapta falls from the ceiling.</p><p>"Hi!" She grins at them.</p><p>"Entrapta," Catra stops, forcing herself to take a calming breath before she opens her eyes. "You are<em> not </em>a prisoner anymore, there isn't any need to sneak around ."</p><p>"Oh, I know that. But they are faster and I don't have time to waste. I need a six-sided hex driver." She smiles, hair moving from one half-full box to the next as it searches for one. A curious eyebrow edges upwards as Catra marvels at how that works. She's been curious about its mobility (what she previously assumed had been princess magic) since she first met the scientist, but it does seem like she suffers no hindrance even when not concentrating on them. "You wouldn't happen to have one here, would you?"</p><p>Any wonder disappears as her irritation returns with a low growl.</p><p>"Can't you request any of the factories for one?"</p><p>"I mean I <em>could</em>, but that would take <em>hours</em>. It's fine, there should be one somewhere in here. I'm fairly certain there was one in Hordak's lab."</p><p>Catra bites her lip, suppressing a hissed '<em>Lord</em> Hordak' as she reminding herself that this is Entrapta she's talking to. She'd rather the woman didn't get herself killed. Which was <em>hard</em>, because Catra's only experience was with a teacher's pet. "There should be a decommissioned tank in the garages waiting to be taken apart." She admits, hands rubbing her template.</p><p>"Thanks, Catra!" Entrapta grins, disappearing back into the air vent, having the decency to cover it back how it was previously.</p><p>"...Ever get this feeling the building might suddenly fall because she found a particularly shiny screw?" Scorpia asks, staring at the air vent with a fascinated gaze.</p><p>"...sometimes," Catra admitted tiredly. "Right." She declared, lying the last file down before letting out a tired sigh. "Scorpia, get...oh, a dozen or so squads ready, I need you to reinforce one of the locations we still fortifying, I'll prepare the debrief when I get back tonight." Which would also make her life significantly easier, since she would stop needing to push on that front until further notice. It would also mean she'd finally get the chance to talk with Kyle, hopefully solving one of the core problems she was finding in the Horde. "I'm going to see my<em> esteemed </em>mentor and get to the bottom of this."</p><p>"Oh! Got it! When am I leaving?"</p><p>"Tomorrow. Still figuring out the details. Do you mind working under Lonnie? You higher ranking but-"</p><p>"Got it! I'll get them ready now." She smiles kindly, running towards one of the computers as Catra continued walking down the hallway.</p><p>She needed to finish her new reorganisation on the chain of command. Only having Force captains was next to useless, especially with barely thirty to manage over a million soldiers. Particularly Octavia. A shiver goes down as she remembers that particular piece of work. The woman's only contribution to her promotion was excessive use of violence. Which...</p><p>Yeah. That pretty much summed up the Horde.</p><p>Catra lets out a silent, self-suffering grown as she prepares herself for the nightmare she's about to walk into.</p><p>"I've contacted every mine." She states, deactivating the barrier holding the prisoner before she throws the file down. "None have the materials we need for armour. Where. is. <em>it</em>?"</p><p>"...The material you seek is made right here, in the foundry."</p><p>"..." Her eyes narrow in irritation. She's still calm, while Catra is running herself ragged as if she was still the one with the control. "...<em>Fine</em>."</p><p>"Being me isn't quite what you imagined. Is it?" She murmurs softly. "Oh. I suppose you imagined Hordak would let you... run the place?"</p><p>"...You disillusioned if you think I want to be anything like you." Catra hisses, trying to suppress...<em> something</em> under her skin as she picks up the file. "And what makes you think I don't call the orders? So far in and I'm <em>still </em>second in command."</p><p>"Oh? And how much of his planning do you know? How much of his trust have you gained?" She shrugged melodramatically. "Don't take it personally, he never trusted me either."</p><p>Bristling in offence she glared at Shadow Waver, letting out a low hiss as her jaw clenches. Her breathing starts to become heavy-</p><p>-And she freezes as Shadow Waver's hand gently strokes her cheeks. "Oh, Catra." She says softly. "Barely a month and you're already falling apart. You <em>know</em> how to work. Deep breath's You're-"</p><p>"-a tool for the Horde." Catra repeats focusing on her breathing, as she forces herself to-</p><p>Catra flinches, her back slamming into the wall as her heart stops. She stares at Shadow Waver wide-eyed as her brain freezes.</p><p>She practically runs out of the cell, barely remembering to slams the panel as the barrier reforms. <em>How dare she still treats me like-. </em>She lets out a silent snarl (sounding more like a sob than anything respectable), breathing heavy and angry, as she thought start to spiral. And h<em>ow dare she imply they were similar</em>. She paced furiously back to the elevator. <em>I'm nothing like-</em></p><p>
  <em>Aren't you?</em>
</p><p>Catra freezes at the thought. A chill going down her spine as her mind refuses to shut.</p><p><em>Just because I'm second in command doesn't mean I'm anything like her. </em>Sure, there'd been some mistakes, but-</p><p>
  <em>(You could have given it to someone more experienced.)</em>
</p><p>"Catra!" She flinches, head snapping towards the voice as she pulls out her claws and. "I found the files. They were- Are you okay?"</p><p>"Peachy." She hisses irritated. Her thoughts freeze as she forces them out, hiding them carefully as she returns to her mask. "And yes. The materials are produced here. I know."</p><p>"Ah... beautiful and brilliant?" Scorpia offers a<em> (fake) </em>smile.</p><p>"...I'm not dealing with this." She decides.</p><p>"Do you-?"</p><p>"<em>No.</em> I'll be in the archives. Only call me if it's important." She snarls as she storms out of the holding cells.</p><p>She knows it <em>might </em>have been uncalled for. She knows, hopes even, that Scorpia genuinely doesn't mean anything sinister with her comfort.</p><p><em>But it's the Horde,</em> she thinks tiredly<em>, and it wouldn't be the first time you thought someone was better than they proved.</em></p><p>She needs... she needs to stop. To stop and think and...</p><p>And she just needs <em>everything to </em><strong><em>stop</em></strong><em>.</em> At some point, she's lost all the control she's gained and she doesn't know when or how or even why she's feeling like this because she shouldn't. Because she's-</p><p>
  <em>-I'm still second in command.</em>
</p><p>A shaken breath leaves her throat as she opens one of the tiny storage (junk) rooms and looks it behind it.</p><p>Nothing in the vents, no bot, camera or person in the room.</p><p>Most importantly, there's no one to see her. To comfort her.</p><p>Catra slides down the door and wrapped her arms around her legs, hiding her face as a trembling sob escapes her.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>He missed the old days.</p><p>He recognised that made him sound much like the retired war veterans that were transferred to the factory, but...</p><p>He <em>really</em> missed the old days.</p><p>Kyle missed Rogelio's calm comfort, now since replaced by a workaholic like ethic. He missed Lonnie's indulgent smiles, now replaced by boisterous smirks. He missed Catra's constant, innocent eagerness, now replaced by constant dark looks and fierce schemes.</p><p>He missed Adora's...</p><p>No, better not start there.</p><p>Things had been reaching... a progressively worse level, over the years. The children that hid under a blanket for sleepovers had gradually faded. All torn by the weight of the Hordes demand.</p><p>Teamwork so well oiled had slowly fallen apart, but even then, they'd looked out for each other. Taken care of each other.</p><p>And then Adora left.</p><p>The day before graduation, their squad captain, who would have also been the youngest force captain in history,<em> defected</em>.</p><p>Almost three months since then, and still, people sent their squad angry, even weary glares, as if they were responsible for their former (not even achieved) captain. He didn't even know <em>why</em> she left! And if he was going to be blamed for it any way he would have appreciated knowing!</p><p>Catra was mostly okay, she'd had it the worst for the first week, being the closest with Adora. But between her first and second promotion, people realised that insulting they're superior would be a terrible idea.</p><p>Lonnie had become even more secluded, simply grunting when not on duty. And... well, he kind of understood why. Kyle wasn't one to talk, but he was fairly certain she'd had a crush on Adora, which... well, one didn't really need to ask why Lonnie and Catra had been at the other's throat.</p><p>Not that Catra and Adora had been a thing, since neither would have dared broken the law, but it was still rather painfully obvious to see for the rest of the squad. Something else they'd had, he supposed. Even after they'd started to fall apart, they'd kept the other's secrets.</p><p><em>Heh.</em> Not like now, were Kyle didn't really have anyone to keep secrets with.</p><p>Rogelio had also completely shut himself off. And his heart clutched slightly, barely remembering the last time they'd had an actual personal conversation.</p><p>Nowadays he mostly stuck to the archives, going through reports while occasionally helping the random cadet that wondered by.</p><p>"HS-K71159, you are scheduled for a meeting with the second in command." The guards dull voice snapped him from his internal rant as he returns the salute.</p><p>Right. Shifting uncomfortably, he rubs his hands on his uniform, embarrassed that he'd forgotten the whole reason he'd started spiralling in thought was that Catra -or rather, the commander- had requested his presence. Throat refusing to work, he gives an uncomfortable nod before he walks into the war room -or he assumes it's the war room, this is far above his clearance- bubbling nerves under his expression.</p><p>It's... surprisingly comfy. It struck him as slightly strange, with its wooden floor and soft lighting, at least in comparison to the shadowy metallic pathways he's so used to walking through. There's a fairly large circular table in the middle, a map of the Horde's advance on top of it as nearby tables whole piles of paperwork.</p><p>It takes him a moment to actually see her, buried between one of those forms and files next to the window.</p><p>"You called, commander?" He's... unsure as to how to interact with her. This isn't the Catra that bounced around him, cheerful for another adventure in some half torn area of the fright zone with her far too contagious bright grins. Nor is she the lazy teammate that put the bare minimum of work to avoid punishment and snickered whenever they got into trouble. Thought... lately, she's more... non-violent. There's still anger, yes, but it's more... contained and directed.</p><p>"Kyle! Right on time!"</p><p>For a small moment, he stares speechless, thoughts coming to a stop as his brain tries to compute. "Wait, really?" Is the first thing that come's to mind.</p><p>"Ah. Well, no. But you were only, like... ten minutes late? So close enough, right?" Her lips twitch as she shrugs unconcernedly. "How have you been? We haven't spoken in ages."</p><p>"I'm okay." He shrugged automatically, anxiety dissipating as he falls into old habits. "I've been going through the archives between my spare time. There's an outrageous rumour that you've actually started studying."</p><p>She smirks, half lazily, half-amused. "Yes, well, apparently being in charge of every asset in our nation requires more than just the ability to punch someone in the face. Who knew?"</p><p>"Well." Kyle drawls. "And this is only a guess, but maybe every person that told you to actually bother studying instead of barely showing up."</p><p>Catra waves his comment away, eyes sparkling with amusement. "They didn't actually teach us anything important. I guarantee that everyone forgets it the day they graduate."</p><p>"For one, while I can reluctantly concede they were lacking, they taught us every protocol, be it combat or regulation orientated. For another, I could give you the entire list of protocols here and now."</p><p>Catra giggles. "And you're still a nerd, so you don't count." She waves away, grinning fondly. "Honestly, only you and Ad-" Catra stills, smile disappearing as her eyes close.</p><p>Kyle grimaces, feeling a sudden pang of sympathy towards her because Kyle <em>gets</em> it. It's not that Adora's dead, it's not even that she left. It's that she deserted them.</p><p>Not that Kyle knows the exact details of what happened. Realistically she might have even tried to get Catra to join her.</p><p>And that's another theory Kyle hasn't quite managed to put together. And that's because it really doesn't <em>fit. </em>The likelihood of Adora not trying to bring Catra with her was about the same as Catra refusing to go with her. Thought... he was wondered, Catra has always been possessive, and if the two princesses they captured were present during her defection, then maybe-</p><p>"Right. What did you want me for that couldn't wait until my time at the outpost finished."</p><p>Her lips twitched, a forced smile slowly softening into a smirk. "Your lovely company, of course." She drawls, hand reaching for one of the desks draws's as she pulls out a file.</p><p>"Ah, I'm so glad that's become a given." He deadpans, skimming through the pages with growing curiosity. And stops. Blinking, he looks up meeting her eyes before slowly pulling back to the first page and memorising word by word. "...What is this?"</p><p>"I thought it was a decent idea." She says a little bit too amused to be defensive. "Why! I even spent the past week writing it all down for you with detailed notes, just like you like them!"</p><p>"This sounds like a nightmare! It's perfectly fine the way it is!"</p><p>"Oh? Nothing you find... <em>lacking</em>?</p><p>His eye twitched, risking the chance to send her a glare<em> because really? We paraphrasing now?</em> Not that it's actually a paraphrase, but <em>still. </em>Kyle... has actually punched himself in the face before, but he thinks this might just qualify as the second time. Because digging his own grave generally sounds like a happier fate than... <em>this</em>.</p><p>"It's your choice, but hear me out before you start crying, yeah?"</p><p>His shoulders shag. Half in relief, half in resignation. Well... he thinks tiredly, it can't be as bad as the time she convinced us to play next to the lake of lava in the foundry. <em>Of course, he later learns that's not actually lava, since that's made up of semi fluid-rock-</em></p><p>He sighs when she makes a sound at the back of her through to catch his attention. "<em>Fine.</em>"</p><p>Catra nods, biting her lip as she hums thoughtfully. "You understood the educational program we went through?"</p><p>"Kind of. As a cadet one simply had to follow orders. Goof fitness and memorisation skill were all you really needed. But there were always some bits that I felt... didn't really make sense to teach or not. Which I'm guessing is what you leading for that." He taps on what he debuts as 'another Catra's terrible idea' file.</p><p>"Right." She nods again, placing her (mildly terrifying large) stack of paper on another table before leaning forward, chin leaning in one hand as she pulls out a pen. "Right. So, I'm going to start with a bit of classified history and go from there."</p><p>"There isn't actually any given name for our cadet training, and that's the crux of the matter, really. It starts with the previous princess that owned this land. They had their own guard and military training that was provided for the Horde's forces during the war. There <em>aren't</em> any recorded names, nor recorded events, but from what I pieced together, they died in the 'last' battle against the Alliance, and that's when things got... messy." And by messy, she met the person in charge of this had been completely incompetent, less of record-keeping and more of Horde worship writing in ten pages. Kyle would know, he's had to read them. Repeatedly. "Now, obviously the rebellion kept fighting, but the Alliance was made up of its leader's, and with their death, they practically fall apart."</p><p>"On the other hand, the princesses that were allied with Lord Hordak were in charge of managing their territory, and that included troop training. So, what <em>should </em>have happened was that the management would fall to their daughter, who was in her single digits, or their regent, who had also died in the battle."</p><p>Kyle's eye's narrow, and Catra tilts her head in agreement before she shakes it in a negative manner, eyes darting towards the door, then vent, before her gaze meets his own.</p><p>"So, in that mess, half of the required training was either scrapped or altered, no one actually said anything because why would they?" She gazes towards the window and her ears twitching carefully before she starts writing a sentence on the paper. "Most of the older higher command was dead, the younger ones didn't notice any significant change because the rebellion was in utter chaos and things slipped through." Raising an eyebrow, he looks between her and the sentence.</p><p>
  <em>Noise jammer, not perfect but decent enough.</em>
</p><p>She taps the squared device the size of her palm, he notes the very faint hissing sound it seems to emit. <em>Great</em>, he thinks,<em> this is borderline treason, then.</em></p><p>"So you want to change the cadet program. Seems like you even have a half-decent structure started, so what has this got to do with me?"</p><p>"Well," She drawls drily. "The half-decent structure has to be a little bit <em>more</em> than that, and what better improvement than a head-instructor that has my trust?"</p><p>"...What?"</p><p>"I mean, you did say you found it lacking-"</p><p>"This is a terrible idea."</p><p>"-not to mention you are capable of coming up with improvements that I might have missed-"</p><p>"Me? An <em>instructor</em>? In charge of the other instructors at that? Catra, have you lost it?"</p><p>"-and most importantly, you get along with children."</p><p>Kyle blinks, somewhat confused at her last point. "Come again?"</p><p>"Kyle, how many of the kids have you helped in the archives?"</p><p>"...Some few?"</p><p>"Around a fourth of the entire of our cadets, which means that a quarter of our future military force <em>respects you</em>."</p><p>"Ah. Well... When you put it like that, it's mildly terrifying. What has that got to do with me... <em>teaching</em>?"</p><p>She lets out a faintly irritating sound, hand going through her hair in an aggravating manner as she sends him a half glare. "Kyle, the only instructor I willingly learnt from was Cobalt, and he was the only one that held any fragment of my respect."</p><p>See.</p><p>Thing is, Kyle <em>understands</em> the point she's making. He hates that. That he agrees with her, that he's already thought of a dozen ideas of how it could be improved.</p><p>That it works for him. Because the only allowed retirement from the military is to the factory when you reach your forty's, or death. And instructors qualify as military, even if they are more along the lines of a civilian.</p><p>More than anything, he hates the fact that she's already pulled his strings so that he <em>wants</em> to do it. That he's already thinking on <em>how</em> to do it.</p><p><em>Unbelievable, </em>he thinks faintly horrified<em>. Somehow, this is worse than pre-teens acrobatics over molten metal. And she convinced me. Again!</em></p><p>"Fine." He half hisses, half whimpers. "Clearly, I've completely lost the plot, but fine. I'll do it. But dam it all Catra, we do this my way or Hordak help you, you'll have every single cadet trying to pull your tail for the rest of your life."</p><p>He's only faintly amused when her tail twitches.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span class="u">Catra's book of <em>idiots </em>:</span>
</p><p><strong>Kyle:</strong> Identification code HS-K71159, very high grades but possesses a lack of physical ability as well as a constant displayed of anxiety. Well-liked by the cadets for his helpful, caring brotherly demeanour. Graduated alongside the commander.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>One more chapter and we'll start derailing from canon! I realise this chapter might not have started the most interesting for some, but both were really necessary, either because I needed to show Shadow Waver, or because Catra's growth is only now starting when she's starting to see first hand what's happening.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>On another note, writing Catra has proven to be incredibly enjoyable, particularly when writing her thoughts and reactions. Philosophy and the Geneva convention are both something I wanted to build in this chapter (the later more, since there are no war crimes in this universe).</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>As for Kyle? Honestly, I think he's still canon, just... slightly different. He has anxiety, and between everything that's happened, he's incredibly lonely. Safe to say, he's going to be important.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Beta testers are something I still wouldn't mind! If anyone's interested I'm sure I can figure out how that works!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>If you feel that I should have written something differently (such as personality and/or display's of different states of mentality), please leave a comment! Any advice is welcome!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Thoughts? Anything you particularly enjoy?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Anyways, Ill See you next time! Ciao!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>~ Sapphire and Emeralds</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5 ~ Fragile Snowflake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>A/N: She-ra and the Princess of power were made by J. Michael Straczynski and Larry DiTillio, I only take credit for my own added character's and storylines. Similarly, any references will be attributed to their original creators when they pop up.</strong>
</p><p><strong>Recommended story:</strong> Don't Go by Annacharlier</p><p>Just after save the cat. A short, fluffy one-shot that I consider canon. Consisting on Catra coping with the effects of having been placed with the chip as well as her own actions starting to catch up with her.</p><p>
  <strong>BTW, I also have a Fanfic account where I'm also publishing, if you prefer reading it there~.</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>Enjoy!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Book I: Of Shard and Concept</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 5 ~ Fragile Snowflake</strong>
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  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong><em>Content Warning! </em>Implied depression, BPD, suicidal thoughts and other similar themes (if you squint you eyes). If any of the above is something you are not comfortable with, then you might want to skip this fic.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>There's also LGBT, but what are you doing here if that's a surprise?</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>Angela smiles, watching her daughter laugh as she pulls both Adora's and Bow's arms, disappearing in a shining glow, moving through the castle as she prepares to travel.</p><p>She smiles as the remaining members leave, striking a conversation or two with some as the room slowly empties. Some military discussions, some more peaceful in nature. But she smiles, waiting until the last leaves and closes the door.</p><p>Left to her thoughts, she stretches her wings and arms, staring out of the large window as her eyes dart towards her family's land and let out an aggravated breath.</p><p><em>It's funny, </em>she thinks tiredly,<em> I haven't smiled in years, but I do it daily.</em></p><p>After all, almost all her loved ones were dead. At this point, one of the few things that still brought her joy was her daughter.</p><p>"Your majesty." A voice whispers by her side. "I wish not to question your order. But is it wise to send the princess on a mission before we know why they've become so... <em>cautious</em> in their engagement?"</p><p>Angela's smile slips, letting out a tired sigh as her gaze momentarily flickers. They hadn't been prepared for the sudden careful planning the Horde had started to display. Not that long ago their attack's were both relentless and overwhelming, but they tired easily and left openings to push back. Now it was structured attacks, probing the borders with fluid ease between attacks. There was, however, uncertainty and even inexperience. Enough, at least, that she found herself wondering- "We can't let a lack of intel cripple our offensive, Juliet. We know this more than most."</p><p>Her oldest friend shifts uncomfortably, eyes darting out of the window as they follow her gaze. "I agree." She whispers softly. "But you and I know that Shadow Weaver isn't one to pull her punches. And with these counteroffensive's that's literally how to describe them. Their probing and pulling, seeing how we react. Before they just tried to overwhelm us with numbers." She swallows thickly, eyes meeting her own. "And with the recent battle of Brightmoon, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume-"</p><p>"Yes." She cuts in with a grimace. Another friend she'd lost, Angela thinks, mourning for what had become of Light Spinner. "But with our numbers thinned, we are no longer capable of supporting our main forces... and I wish for Glimmer to gain more experience in the... less idealistic missions."</p><p>"Ah." Juliet sends her a sympathetic glance. "So the scouting mission is to buy time to prepare?"</p><p>"Yes." She nods bitterly. "She's seen death before, but they were soldiers she barely knew, not friends or comrades. And definitely not a loved one." Shifting uncomfortably, her gaze flickers towards the map. "Once she returns, I'll assign her to... a more volatile mission. It's unlikely she'll lose either Bow or Adora, but... perhaps some soldier under her care? Perhaps even someone she's grown to call a friend. The sooner she stops seeing the war as some calling of benevolence for heroes, and realises how many suffer for it, the sooner I can start teaching her the less pleasant side of ruling."</p><p>She feels revulsion grow under her skin, the urge to vomit grow as she gazes at the small chess pieces that decorate the map.</p><p>And she <em>wonders</em>.</p><p><strong>(</strong> <em>Micah jumps at the resounding explosion, head snapping from the blondette as they both reach for their weapon. Conversation forgotten as they-</em></p><p>
  <em>"Glacea! You little piece of-" Angela's snarling voice echoes through the field, throwing another explosion as said princess runs towards them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hide me!" The pre-teen begs as she ducks behind him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"-eh?" Micah squeaks, eyes widening as his eyes dart towards-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Micah!" She hisses. "You were part of this!?" The pinkette -former, he notes as he regards her green hair- hisses, eyes flashing dangerously. Her finger twitches as another magical circle -an explosive one, he observes unsurprised- forms in her palm.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His other friend slowly walks away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Eh?" He echoes, panic filling his gut.</em>
</p><p><em>An explosion echoes through the field.</em> <strong>)</strong></p><p>Juliet reaches out for her hand, interlacing their fingers with gentle grace.</p><p>"It's okay." She whispers softly. "She'll thank you. One day, she'll understand."</p><p>Angella smiles bitterly. <em>Understand?</em> She thinks.<em> How could she understand me when I don't even recognise myself.</em></p><p>"That was everything for today?" She asks instead, pretending to study the map as she forces herself to forget.</p><p>"Yes." Her friend's smile turns sharp and vicious. "I informed Princess Jasper that you were far too preoccupied with the war effort to possibly meet him."</p><p>Angella smiles fondly. "In that case, I might find myself preoccupied in my room. It has been a while since I last had the chance to read for myself." She responds. "Thank you. I honestly might have done something I half regretted if I spoke to him today."</p><p>That worm would have never been allowed in her mother's realm. In better times, he wouldn't have been allowed in her's either. Unfortunately, he was cunning, and she <em>really</em> did need his financial aid. Between the alliance's fall and her own depression at losing them, it took her far too long to reform and rule her kingdom. By the time she truly became confident in the rule of her kingdom, he'd already dug his filthy claws deep. Sending one last glance towards the unfriendly map, she lets out an exhausted sigh.</p><p>"Juliet?" She calls, not particularly caring whether her friend listens or not. "If we do ever reach the point where we lose this war, remind me to brutally- er, deliver him to the next world."</p><p>It goes to show how much either has slept when her knight cracks a smile, their hands remaining interlaced in gentle comfort.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>"Scorpia. Good, you're here." Catra greets, opening another box as she searches for anything that would bring her warmth.</p><p>"Ah- <em>Yes</em>! Yes, I am!"</p><p>Catra hums, deciding not to call on her weirdness as she searched the box. Mostly for herself, since she'd be calling her out most of the day and she really hasn't got the time. "Right. So Entrapta brought all this junk from her lab. Help me find a space heater or something? Since we apparently live here now."</p><p>"Sure thing!" Scoria smiles, opening one of the boxes next to her. "So... I've been thinking. And I know you've been really busy and super focused on your career. But.. would you... ever want to... you know, like... hang out... with me?"</p><p>Catra sends her an unimpressed glance. "What are you talking about?" She lifts her hand in a displaying manner to emphasize her point. "We are hanging out now. Right now."</p><p>"Yes. Totally... But, ah, what I mean was like outside office hours you know...pfft, I don't know, hang out and… maybe get something to eat? ...Just the two of us?" Catra blinks bewilderedly. <em>I thought we were hanging out</em>, she ponders, trying to make sense of what's going through Scorpia's head. I<em>s it food? I know she likes cooking, so is this another trio -or duo in this case?- idea?</em></p><p>As Catra tries to make sense of the woman, Scorpia lets out an awkward laugh, leaning on a pile of boxes with a hopeful smile.</p><p>And promptly falls as all the content settles through the floor.</p><p>Catra groans, staring at the mess and already knowing she'll have her whole day occupied. <em>She doesn't look hurt, at least, so I won't be doing all the work alone. </em>Not that it's comforting, since Scropias clumsiness will probably... make it...</p><p>For an instant, Catra's entire body tenses, eyes sharpening as the hair at the back of her neck stands. And then she blinks unsure as to the sudden reaction, flattening the fur on her tail before she wearily picks up the... triangle-shaped star with her claws. It's not quite the accurate description of the object, more complex and isometric, but it was close enough of a description right now. A frown sketches her features because it... feels <em>weird</em>. Nothing comes to mind on how to describe it, but even with her fingerless gloves, it touches her fur in the wrong way and somehow that irks her in more ways than simply being uncomfortable.</p><p>"Ahh! Careful with that!" Entrapta panics, gently caressing it when Catra hands it over bewilderedly. "I think it's a rare First one artefact. I've been meaning to study it but I haven't got a chance yet. The last time I deployed it ended up infecting my robots with some sort of murder virus!"</p><p>"...You brought a murder virus in the middle of a snowy wasteland, but not a <em>blanket</em>?</p><p>"Oh, it does other things too!" Entrapta smiles as if it's a reasonable idea. "For example, when it infected She-ra she lost her powers. Also, she got very... <em>floppy</em>."</p><p>"A She-ra off-switch?" Catra mutters, a smile slowly growing as she stares at the crimson not quite triangle in Entrapta's hands. "Well, why didn't you say anything before?"</p><p>Not a moment later, alarms blare throughout the room as Entrapta yelps, dropping the star back into Catra's hand. She marvels at Entrapta's idea of being careful as she places it in the pocket of her coat, frowning as she walks towards her.</p><p>"The drilling bots are gone?" Entrapta mutters, frowning at her screen as she furiously types. Scowling in what Catra assumes is offence, she rushes outside as she leans next to the railing of the canyons bridge.</p><p>"Eh? Wait, they just disappeared into thin air? Just like that?" Scorpia askes alarm, chasing after them in worry.</p><p>"Maybe there is scientific truth to the disappearances rumours." Entrapta offers unhappily, glancing down towards the shadowed pit.</p><p>"Truth or not, those were all minus one of the robots we brought." Catra points out, blinking when Entrapta's pet makes an alarming sound from what Catra assumes is the com. <em>I knew Entrapta agreed to leave it on the ship too easily. </em>"So you better figure out how we get them back online before my ears freeze off."</p><p>"...I suppose I'll-"</p><p>"You're not going down there." She denies it with a frown.</p><p>"Or... I could try to get the last recorded data!"</p><p>"Just make sure you get something. I had to pull enough strings without us coming back empty-handed." Catra mutters.</p><p>"A scientist never returns empty-handed. There's always data!"</p><p>"Yeah, so you've said. <em>Repeatedly.</em>" Letting out an exasperated sigh, she sends her a fond glance. "Now if only-"</p><p>"Catra!" A familiar voice calls. Closing her eyes, Catra's jaw tightens because <strong><em>of course</em></strong>. She stops, forcing out a calming breath. "It's been a while."</p><p>"<em>Hey</em>, Adora." Catra masks a lazy grin, crossing her arms as she leans on the railing.</p><p>"You're pretty far from the frontline. Shadow Weaver keeping you from the action?" Catra hums, her growing anger replaced by momentary amusement. <em>Well</em>, she thinks<em>, if nothing else, the rebellion's information network is as bad as ours.</em> Not that it's particularly comforting, since their network is non-existent, but better both then just hers. "We're here to take back this land. It's time for you to go back to the Fright Zone."</p><p>And just like that, her anger returns with a grin on her face and adrenaline through her veins. "You want me out?" Her eyes sharpen. "<em>Make me.</em>"</p><p>"<em>My pleasure.</em>"</p><p>In a single, simple movement, Catra jumps back, feet balanced on the railing as She-ra's sword slams into the floor.</p><p><em>I need to isolate her</em>, she thinks as her gaze flickers to meet Scorpia's. The large woman nods, no exchange of words passing their lips as Catra starts running off the bridge.</p><p>Not a moment later, she twists her body at her waist, her hand reaches for the snow and throws it towards She-ra's face.</p><p>It doesn't hit, -not that she expected it to- but it does give her a moment to shift her weight to her hands, using them to balance herself as the back of her foot attempts to slam into her shoulder.</p><p>It's blocked, but Catra doesn't waste the moment and jumps on top of the sword, and again as she dodges another attempted slash as her claw aims for her arm, narrowly missing as...<em> did it just change shape?</em></p><p>Blinking dumbly, she barely manages to avoid the next strike from a golden pole using a rather complicated twist mid-air, landing on a wall shaped piece of ice.</p><p>It's always been strange, fighting with She-ra. Because She-ra fought nothing like Adora. Not with her new, shapeshifting golden staff, and even less with a large sword she had little to no skill using. And She-Ra couldn't quite fight Catra the way she used to, being significantly taller and heavier, causing her movements too slow and telegraphing.</p><p><em>I should have brought a staff,</em> she thinks mildly irritated, snapping her head back as she ducks another blow. <em>I should also</em><strong><em> not</em></strong><em> let my thoughts wander.</em></p><p>It only gets weirder, her staff shifting into a rope and trapping her legs in a swift moment.</p><p>"Don't move." She-Ra threatens, blade returned as it aims to her throat.</p><p>"Oh? You finally going to kill me now?" She smirks lethargically. It only grows when the edge of the sword slowly lowers away from her neck. "You know, as much as I do enjoy our fights, this is getting as old as it is cold. Let's try something new, <em>yeah</em>?"</p><p>Giving her no chance to react, she pulls out her new toy and slams it onto the hilt of the sword.</p><p>Her smirk falls as a shockwave emits from the sword, flinching back when her hand flares with pain. She hears a faint scream as she's thrown back, cradling her injured hand as she slams into the snow.</p><p>
  <em>"Catra! What did you-?"</em>
</p><p>Whatever sparkles has to say is beyond her as She-Ra let's out a snarl, slamming her sword into the snow where she stood a moment ago.</p><p>Letting out a low moan, she forces herself up, walking back towards cover as she watches red coloured veins growing on the large woman's arms.</p><p>"You said she'd be powerless!" Catra hisses at Entrapta, leaning on one of the frozen walls for support.</p><p>"She will be." Entrapta counters, examining her arm with worry as her eyes dart towards the infighting. "<em>Eventually</em>... I think."</p><p>"...Actually, this is rather therapeutic." Catra hums, a smile slowly forming on her lips as she watches her once friend slam the sword into the ground with enough force to form a crater.</p><p>Her smile grows as the crater starts to spread, bringing the entire edge of the cliff down with the princesses. "Huh." She rolls her shoulder, tilting her head as she ponders whether or not She-ra has gotten some form of physical enhancement. "Entrapta, how long does this last?"</p><p>Whatever Entrapta was about to answer is replaced with a squeak when the rampaging woman charges towards them, slamming the blade into the ground fast enough that Catra barely evades. "Get back." She warns, staring at the newly formed crater.</p><p>It's enough to break through her skull, she realises with growing panic, ducking another blow as she attempts to create distance.</p><p>She can't help but wonder if it's an enhancement or a lack of affection that gives her the level of brutality, grabbing her foot mid-jump before she throws her towards the floor. <em>Hard. </em>"Okay. I preferred this when it wasn't me getting-" Her thoughts freeze as Adora raises her sword, red eyes gleaming with amusement and her smirk wide and bloodthirsty.</p><p>She's scared, she realises. A shiver running down her spine as she hears the low distorted chuckling. Fear is never something that she's directly linked to Adora before. She doesn't quite understand why it feels like a betrayal now that she does.</p><p>"Adora?" Her voice cracks, a trickle of blood running down her forehead, more falling down her arm as it starts to scarlet the snow below. She's shaking, something wet falling from her eyes as something shatters inside her. "Adora, ple-?"</p><p>Her grin grows to a disturbing size, blade falling down to slices through her neck.</p><p>But it doesn't hit.</p><p>"Don't touch her!" Scorpia snarls, throwing herself at She-ra, far beyond her usual level of strength as both women are thrown into the snow.</p><p>Momentarily closing her eyes, she lets out a shaky breath as she rubs her neck.</p><p>"Oh! I understand now!" Entrapta exclaims as she examines Adora's state. "The sword was what was infected, not Adora herself. Huh, guess she really is organic matter after all. If it's anything like last time, she'll experience an inebriated behaviour and won't possess any recollection of the events. She's more or less heavily... drunk... Catra?"</p><p>"S-Something got into my eyes?" Catra snaps, rubbing them desperately as she forces herself up.</p><p>"Catra! Are you okay?"</p><p>"Yeah... thanks for the assist, Scorpia." She forces her body to loosen, smirking victoriously as she ignores everything rattling around inside her brain. "Looks like you mine again, Adora. Really not a good track record, the number of times the rebellion gets themselves captured." Looking upwards, she smiles at Scorpia, her hands shaking in her pocket as something aches in her chest. "Let's take her back inside, yeah? I've got snow <em>everywhere.</em>"</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>"<em>Pretty please?</em>"</p><p>Catra looks towards the ceiling as she let out a resigned sigh. "Entrapta. The rebellion will try to get She-ra back as soon as they get the chance. the longer we stay, the more chances they have of succeeding." Not that Catra was expecting to win this argument. Convincing Entrapta to not science was about as likely as Shadow Waver being nice. <em>Still</em>, she should at least try to convince the older woman before relenting.</p><p>"I just need to know what destroyed the bots! All other relevant data has already been stored. It shouldn't take longer than an hour, honest!"</p><p>"...Fine, but one hour, no more." It'd be another three, she just knew it.</p><p>"Yes! You're the best Catra!" The woman cheers. "Emily! You heard her! Prepare the vessels engines as I finish collecting the data."</p><p>Catra-</p><p>-blinks.</p><p>Her head snaps towards Entrapta with growing incredulity on her features. "<em>What.</em>"</p><p>"<em>What</em>, what?"</p><p>"I mean," Her voice firms, "why is it being left in charge of the ship."</p><p>"Er... we left her in the vessel, Catra."</p><p>"Your robot isn't capable of that, Entrapta." Catra reminds her with shrinking patience.</p><p>"Oh, <em>that</em>! Don't worry. I've been upgrading her software. It's<em> A</em>-okay."</p><p>"Even so." Catra insists, crossing her arms with a huff. "There's a difference between combat upgrading and being aware of how to pilot around icebergs."</p><p>Entrapta stops, and for a moment she can't help but wonder if she's said something wrong. Before she can decide, Entrapta tilts her head slightly as she peers at her, expression crinkling with bewilderment. "Don't be silly, Catra. Just because Emilys a robot doesn't mean she isn't sentient!"</p><p>"I-, that-," Entrapta grins, leaving the room with a merry hum, the door gently closing behind her as Catra can only stare. "<em>what</em>?" A robot was quite literally defined as non-sentient. Entrapta's toy was <em>not </em>sentient.</p><p>Letting out a soft groan, she allows herself a moment to breathe before nodding, turning the other door, wondering if she-</p><p>"Big bug! <em>Catch </em>me!" A voice cheers in delight.</p><p>"Huh?" Scoria squeaks, falling on the floor with enough force to make Catra flinch. An intoxicated Adora lays happily on top of the woman, humming to herself without a care in the world.</p><p>"<em>What?</em>" Catra eye twitches.</p><p>"Hey! It's Catra!" Adora stands, taking a step forward before tripping on Scorpia, promptly falling on the floor with a slam.</p><p>It takes Catra an actual moment to process what's occurred. Blinking slowly as her eyes dart between the two individuals before she snorts.</p><p>"Aww, a little bit clumsy, are we?" Catra smirks, watching Adora flopped next to the wall, far too amused with viewing pretty, perfect Adora making a fool of herself. "How does it feel? Knowing you being dragged back to the Horde under my command?" Catra held Adora's chin, smirking as she stared at the woman's drowsy eyes. "I'll even give you a nice cell as I conquer Etheria." Which, <em>actually</em>-</p><p>...Catra hadn't actually stopped and thought about it, but... did she <em>want </em>to conquer Etheria? All her reason's had, at one point or another, become invalidated. After all, what was the point of... well... proving her point when she'd already cemented her authority? That she'd always been as talented and skilled as Adora had. That she was just as good a leader, a strategist and tactician. That maybe she was even better?</p><p>
  <em>That she deserved to be loved.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Why did you become the commander?</em>
</p><p>Distracted by her own line of thought, she's too slow to note Adora's sudden movement as she threw herself towards her. Spine tensing as she desperately tries, and fails, to dodge.</p><p>But there was no blow, no punch, body tackle, not even a headbutting.</p><p>No.<em> Adora was </em><strong><em>kissing</em></strong><em> her.</em></p><p>Not a lip kiss, thank Hordak. It was awkwardly on her cheeks, slobbery at that. Similar to the ones they'd always given before...well, everything.</p><p>Catra recoils back, falling on her back as Adora lands on top of her. She could only stare, something significant in her brain... frizzling, an image of one of Entrapta's failed robots spinning in circles, sparks exiting its head at the forefront of her mind.</p><p>"Catra!" Adora cheers, making no attempt to lift herself as she lazed above with a smile on her lips.</p><p>"...What."</p><p>"Catra, do you... need any help?" Scorpia asks, lifting herself with a grimace as she stares concernedly.</p><p>"...No." She slowly shakes her head, brain struggling to compute as she tries to <em>think</em>. "Scorpia, would you mind checking the cameras with Entrapta? The sooner we finish here the better, yeah?"</p><p>For an instant, something unreadable flashes through Scorpia's expression as she stares at Adora, quickly masked with a smile as she nodded mechanically. Deciding it was a judge of Adora's threat, Catra brushes it off as she gazes expectantly. "Sure thing, Wildcat! You know where to find us if you need any help."</p><p>Catra waits until the door closes with a soft 'thud', head flopping down back onto the floor as she finally allows herself to groan. "...Get off me. You're too heavy for this."</p><p>"I!" She declares, finger pointing to the sky. "Am <em>not </em>fat!" Adora giggled, leaning into her as she was pulled into an unwilling hug.</p><p>"Right." Catra snorts. "The princesses have been fattening you up, there's barely any muscle left."</p><p>Adora gasps, staring at her wide-eyed before she looked down at her on -still, admittedly, very muscle built- arms. And then blinked, turning back to look at her as she tightened her hug. "Not fat."</p><p>"So you've said." Catra sighs, budging towards the wall as she awkwardly moves the woman. "Not fat, then."</p><p>"Play with my hair?" Adora asks hopefully.</p><p>"I- <em>What?</em> I'm not<em> playing </em>with your hair!"</p><p>"But <em>why!?</em> You always play with my hair! I'll play with your hair after- <em>m'promise!</em>"</p><p>Catra flinches, eyes narrowing as she opens her mouth to point out that she very much didn't, but Adora had already yawned, burying her face in Catra's shoulder.</p><p>"What in Hordak's name..." Catra mutters to herself, fingers gently going through Adora's hair as far too many things that she cared to count twisted inside her.</p><p><em>It's okay</em>, she prays, <em>Entrapta said she wouldn't remember this, it's okay. It's </em><strong><em>okay.</em></strong></p><p>It isn't. But it is. It's like she's back in the past, only it's worse than the crystal temple because Adora is functioning at a subconscious level, and it hurts.</p><p>Because Catra has been desperately trying to hold everything together, barely stopping it from falling apart, and now she's-</p><p>She doesn't know.</p><p>She just-</p><p>...</p><p>No. She's lying to herself now. She knows exactly what the problem is.</p><p>She's always known. It's not about old habits dying hard.</p><p>Thing is, Catra still cares for Adora.</p><p>And even more, she hates her for making her still care. That she sees Adora and still has hope that Adora will regret leaving. That whenever she sees Adora something she hates starts to warm in her chest.</p><p>Something wet falls down her cheeks.</p><p>She easily ignores it.</p><p><em>It's fine,</em> she thinks with desperate hope<em>, one more time, and I can finally move on.</em></p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p><strong><em>So most importantly</em>, a big thank you to Sathroe </strong> <strong>and Hubris Plus who kindly gave me some, and with some I mean many, correction's as well as pointers. I will endeavour to 'Death to parentheses', promise!</strong></p><p>
  <strong>So I ended up dividing the original chapter, since it was already getting close to five thousand with a fair amount left to right. But from here we'll start derailing, so that's that soon to start!</strong>
</p><p>
  <b>I got oddly emotional this month. Attack on Titan ends in two-three weeks, and I really can't see a sudden change of what we expect, which is part of the reason I decided to post this now rather than leave it waiting for another month or two.</b>
</p><p>
  <strong>There isn't much else to be said in this chapter, since everything I wanted to say is for the next chapter.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>If you feel that I should have written something differently (such as personality and/or display's of different states of mentality), please leave a comment! Any advice is welcome!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Thoughts? Anything you particularly enjoy?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Anyways, Ill See you next time! Ciao!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>~ Sapphire and Emeralds</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6 ~  Fragile Snowflake II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>A/N: She-ra and the Princess of power were made by J. Michael Straczynski and Larry DiTillio, I only take credit for my own added character's and storylines. Similarly, any references will be attributed to their original creators when they pop up.</strong>
</p><p><strong>Recommended story:</strong> A New Weird by corantus</p><p>An enjoyable one-shot. The tag sums it up rather neatly, 3k of Catra and Adora cuddling. Short but definitely well written that explores them as children in the Horde.</p><p>
  <strong>BTW, I also have an A03 account where I'm also publishing, if you prefer reading it there~.</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>Enjoy!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Book I: Of Shard and Concept</strong>
</p><p><strong>Chapter 6 ~ </strong> <strong>Fragile Snowflake II</strong></p><hr/><p>
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  <strong><em>Content Warning! </em>Implied depression, BPD, suicidal thoughts and other similar themes (if you squint you eyes). If any of the above is something you are not comfortable with, then you might want to skip this fic.</strong>
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  <strong>There's also LGBT, but what are you doing here if that's a surprise?</strong>
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</p><hr/><p>Rubbing her eyes one final time, Catra walks through the hallway towards the meticulous sound of Entrapta's constant typing against the keyboard.</p><p>"You're hours nearly up." She states, leaning onto one of the nearby pillars, carefully hugging her stomach.</p><p>"Almost done!" Entrapta grins, eyes focusing on a dozen different screens as her hair holds a half-written notebook. "I got all the data a few minutes ago! Now I'm trying to re-establish a connection with the robots in the canyon!"</p><p>"Oh? How's that going?"</p><p>"Progress is... minimal."</p><p>Catra raises an eyebrow, eyes darting towards the screen as she tries to differentiate Entrapta's data. "And with minimal you mean negative?" Her lips twitch into a smirk as she points towards the robot count. "I know that number has gone down since I was last here."</p><p>"...Progress is the <em>variation</em> of the norm... even if it takes a step backwards!" Catra smirk turns mischievous when Entrapta's face lights up in an embarrassed blush. <em>It's surprisingly endearing,</em> she muses fondly.</p><p>"Uh-huh. <em>Sure </em>it is."</p><p>Entrapta huffs, crossing her arms as her hair punches her shoulder with a lack of force.</p><p>But Catra flinches, letting out a hiss as she uses her good arm to pull her right one closer to her stomach in a protective manner.</p><p>"Catra?" Entrapta eyes widened in alarm, hastily scanning her arm with worry.</p><p>"It's fine." Catra replies instantly. "You just... startled me." She grimaces, shifting her weight as she leans her back on the wall.</p><p>"Are you sure? Your hand seems to be... abnormally veined."</p><p>"Entrapta," She sighs tiredly. "It's nothing. Drop it."</p><p>Entrapta blinks bewilderedly, slowly dropping her notebook as she turns to look at her expectantly.</p><p>"...That... was not what I meant."</p><p>"...Are you going to let me check your arm now?" Entrapta continues unphased.</p><p>"<em>Fine."</em></p><p>She flinches back when Entrapta puts her hand over it, grimacing as she ignores the sudden burning sensation from the touch.</p><p>"I need to cut the sleeve." Entrapta frowns, somehow managing to gently push her down as her hair gently moves her hand.</p><p>Tilting her head, Catra slides down the wall, staring at the faintly frowning contraception in curiosity. "What's that?"</p><p>"Hmm? Oh, it's designed to cancel out pain. This size should last for around a... oh, maybe a minute? So I won't use it just yet. " Leaning forward, she studies the now sleeveless arm with growing distress. "...Ah. Your arm also seems abnormally veined. I admit to finding myself... concerned."</p><p>"Yes, well, I have got violet veins on my arm." Her lips twitch when Entrapta sends her something aching to a glare.</p><p>"...It appears to be harmless. No apparent swelling or deformity, thought the similarities to varicose are worrying..." Raising her head, her eyes narrowed worriedly. "And you can move it?"</p><p>Just to prove her point, Catra moves her arm without as much as a hitch. Entrapta is quick to lose herself to thought, a frown etching her features as it slowly shifts to bemusement.</p><p>"It seems... but only... contact from the artefact... catalyst or symptom... doesn't make sense." Her mumbling stops as her eyes meet her own mismatched pair. "Do you feel any pain now or only at touch?"</p><p>"Er... maybe both?" Catra offers awkwardly. "Maybe."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"I mean..." Her other hand's claw starts to scratch the line between the flooring blocks, biting her lip as she ponders how to explain this. "I didn't notice it was hurting?" She finally offers tentatively.</p><p>"<em>What</em>?"</p><p>"Look." Catra sighs, pondering how to explain any of this without having to actually explain. "It's a little bit... When I was younger I just... kind of needed to ignore specific pain, you know? At some point, It just became a habit. Like that one soldier that lost his arm. Eventually, he learnt how to work with only one. It's not that important."</p><p>"Er- yes. Yes, it<em> is</em>. You just compared it to losing an arm."</p><p>"I- what? No, I didn't-"</p><p>"However, while concerning, the veins do seem to be slowly dissipating, which makes me assume your body is fighting against... it..." Entrapta suddenly stills, head snapping towards her in a violent movement.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Have you still got the artefacts?"</p><p>Catra blinks, nodding slowly. "Yeah?"</p><p>"Give it to me, I rather not take risks with it."</p><p>Catra frons bewilderedly. "That's kind of pointless now, don't you think?"</p><p>"It is?"</p><p>"I mean, it's off right now." She points out slowly.</p><p>"...How do you know that?"</p><p>"Well, I'm not feeling anything from it for one."</p><p>"You're... not <em>feeling</em> anything."</p><p>"Yeah, you know, like when my fur is rubbed the wrong way, only that's it's also covered with saltwater." Catra nods, smiling as she takes in Entrapta's gobsmacked expression.</p><p>"I... <em>fine. </em>But we are running tests the moment we return back to my lab.</p><p>"It's not that-"</p><p>"<em>My. Lab. </em><strong><em>Tests</em></strong>"</p><p>"<em>...Fine.</em>"</p><p>Using the bandage Entrapta gave her, she starts wrapping her arm, wary as to not place too much pressure on any of the disturbing veins that now lay on her.</p><p>"I suppose I won't be needing this." Entrapta sighs, returning it to the wall's shelf.</p><p>"I'm surprised the Horde had something magical in nature. Usually, everyone's too wary to even touch those things." And that was in far-out regions much like this one. Or maybe Entrapta had brought it? Hordak knew she had enough strange contraception both technological and magical in nature.</p><p>"Oh, I doubt it's the Hordes. I mean, this used to be an alliance base."</p><p>Catra hums, scanning the room with far more interest. "Oh? How do you know that?"</p><p>"Room design. It's similar to the first alliance's outposts, albeit clearly modified by the Horde for increased protection from the climate when it became colder."</p><p>Her ears twitch at the growing sound through the halls. Placing one of the bandage's ends in her mouth, she awkwardly starts a knot as the door's open.</p><p>"I thought you said we were swapping, Scorpia." She clicks her tongue as the knot doesn't quite hold the bandages in place. Not bothering to look up, she starts untying them while Scorpia makes an affirmative noise.</p><p>"Oh, yeah, about that..." Scorpia smiles sheepishly as she turns towards Entrapta. "Could you check her? I think she's okay, but she jumped from one of the boxes and- I- er, didn't quite catch her in time..."</p><p>"Of course!" Entrapta interrupts the awkward mumbling. "Oh! I've been wanting to take her samples for months! I'll be done in a few minutes!" The woman grins, running towards the door with a bag in one of her hair-hands. "Ah! Keep an eye on the screen! It's almost finished!" The door closes softly, leaving the two alone with the soft sound of the computers humming.</p><p>"So... interesting weather we have." She comments after a moment of silence.</p><p>"Scorpia." Catra sighs, testing the knot for the third time. "We're in a winter wasteland, anything but snow would be a surprise.</p><p>"Oh. Yes, <em>yes</em>, I know that. It's er- just that, well, it's<em> just</em> us... two." Scorpia stresses the last words. She shifts nervously, eyes not quite meeting her own as she walks around the spread-out machinery. "Er... what happened before-"</p><p>Catra tenses, eyes sharpening as they dart towards Scorpia wearily.</p><p>"...I'm guessing that wasn't the first time it happened?"</p><p>"She's a <em>traitor</em>." Catra hisses. "That's <em>all</em> there is to it."</p><p>"Right, right. It's just... er- <em>before</em> she turned, I meant. She didn't seem with it but... you know I won't say anything, right, Wildcat?"</p><p>Frowning, Catra studies Scorpia wearily.</p><p>"If...?"</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>Catra sighs. "You won't say anything <em>if</em>?"</p><p>"I won't- <em>huh</em>? Wait, <em>no</em>!" Scorpia waves her pincers clumsily, eyes wide as her expression shifts towards panic. "I won't say anything, really!"</p><p>"Right..." Catra feels tired. Rolling her shoulder as she tests her arms movement. The faint blank lack of pain working as an odd counter for the growing irritation. "Look, that isn't how this works-"</p><p>"Do you think I'd use it against you?" Scorpia cuts her sentence, eyes focusing on her with an unusual amount of intensity.</p><p>"..." She wanted to say yes, that obviously she would. How couldn't she, when everyone in the Horde did the same? It was the reason her squad, <em>most</em> squads at that, fell apart. When suspicion outgrew trust. When everyone could and would do anything to push you down to increase their own chance to survive.</p><p>Even Adora had done that. Not quite directly, but never having commented when Shadow Waver did it for her.</p><p>But this is Scorpia, and Catra's torn. After all, people only look out for themselves. And one can only afford kindness when they want something in return, even more so in the Horde. She'd know, she wasn't any different. But…</p><p>
  <em>But she also knows Scorpia.</em>
</p><p>An odd lump grows in her throat, her mouth moving without any sound escaping her lips. She can't meet Scorpia's gaze, head lowering as something strange wells inside her. She doesn't know. She doesn't.</p><p>She doesn't know, she doesn't, doesn't, doesn't-</p><p>Catra recoils as the computer starts beeping as a completed file finishes innocently on the screen.</p><p>"Wildcat? Barely forcing down the stupid urge to cry, Catra blinks repeatedly, vision blurred as her gaze meets Scorpia's. "I-"</p><p>"Aha!" Entrapta squeals in delight as she skips towards the computer. "All done! Oh! This is wonderful!" Tilting her head she scans the messy desk. "Now where did I put-"</p><p>"I won't tell anyone," Scorpia whispers quietly, pincer placed on her hand in a reassuring manner. "I won't Wildcat, that's a promise."</p><p>"Are you both okay?" Entrapta asks, at some point having moved next to them.</p><p>"Peachy." Catra masks a smile, instantly standing as she stretches her arms. "I need to check the rest of the rooms." She declares with forced calmness. "Scorpia, bring Adora here. Entrapta, if that's everything then start packing. The sooner we leave, the better."</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>"Can we leave?" Scorpia asks hopefully as she places an unconscious Adora on the floor. "Please say we can leave?</p><p>"What happened?" Catra frowns, grip on Adora's sword tightening as the lights flicker a second time. "Why did the power just go out?"</p><p>"So... turns out that when we were drilling through the ice, we might have unleashed these creatures. Which... are now obsessively trying to destroy us." She offers thoughtfully, staring at the displayed screen with fascination. "Oh! Aren't they adorable!</p><p>Catra slowly blinks, staring at the creature displayed on the screen incredulously. Its scales are an obsidian black, a faint, dark violet radiating from under them. Its glowing red eyes are something eerie, almost insect-like. That being said, they aren't quite as terrifying compared to the sharp fangs. Her instincts scream that they needed to run. That she'd be torn apart in moments.</p><p>And it was outside.</p><p>"Right<em>, okay,</em> no<em>.</em> What is <em>that</em>?<em>" </em>Catra twitches, fingers drumming a faint rhythm on the hilt of Adora's sword as something aching to fear grasps her. Beside her, Scorpia lets out a soft whimper.</p><p><em>"</em>Ah... I have no idea." She sounds almost offended at the idea. "They seem to be a reptile-like creature, but I'm noting some distinctions, particularly its lack of parietal eyes. Huh, I wonder... if..."</p><p>Entrapta's eyes dart between Catra and behind her, repeating the motion as a gobsmacked expression crosses her features. Frowning at the sudden silence, she turns around to-</p><p>She blinks once. And then twice.</p><p>Arrow boy holds sparkles tightly, eyes closed and seemingly waiting for death. Bird-brain expression is rather similar, holding them just as tightly if a little protectively. As for sparkles...</p><p>Her expression is almost enough to stop Catra's growing migraine. Eyes a reflection of her own 'I'm so done with this' exasperation.</p><p>Rubbing her templates, she sends them a slightly irritated look, making a note to just follow her instincts next time even if it requires Entrapta giving her a hurt/pitiful look for not staying for data.</p><p>"Why," She takes a deep breath, looking at the ceiling as if waiting for some form of message. "are you princesses incapable of doing anything reasonable. The door is. <em>Right. There</em>."</p><p>Something akin to sympathy crosses Sparkle's expression before quickly masking it with a scowl. Tapping her friend's shoulder before she points towards them.</p><p>"Looks sparkles. I enjoy our games, truly, I do. But we are a little busy here. So if you could book your visit and come back later that'd be <em>really</em> appreciated."</p><p>"I-" Sparkles splutters, shaking her head as she sends Catra a frustrated glare. "<em>Excuse me</em>? You the one causing this! Hand over the disc and we'll be out of your hair."</p><p>Catra's lips twitch. "What? Didn't enjoy She-ra v.2?</p><p>"You know what? I didn't! Now if you could please destroy the disc so we can get out of here <em>alive</em>-" The building shakes, all eyes darting towards the newly dented wall.</p><p>Sparkles waves her hands towards the wall as if making a point.</p><p>"Uh-huh. I didn't like that wall any-"</p><p>The stiffing silence that had filled the room was interrupted at the building's sudden trembling, parts of the ceiling falling onto the floor as everyone ducked under cover.</p><p>"Entrapta?" Catra calls, grimacing as she pulls Adora next to the pillar with her.</p><p>"I don't know. They've all disappeared! It shouldn't be-"</p><p>Both women still, eyes meeting before their gaze slowly moves downwards. Swallowing thickly, she moves her foot slightly only to still, spine stiffening as the faintest of cracking sounds from underneath... It feels like a blade to her throat.</p><p>"Get out! The whole place is about to-!"</p><p>The floor fractures, nothing but darkness and ice to greet her from underneath. And for the smallest of instances, she feels everything still, horror overtaking her as what's about to pass truly grips her.</p><p>"<em>CATRA!</em>"</p><p>Time flows and gravity greets her. And her body falls as the darkness and fear drown her.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>Eyelids flutter open, inhaling sharply as her surroundings move in a blurry movement.</p><p>Breathing erratically, panic wells her as, for a moment, her body refuses to respond.</p><p>And then she flinches, chest heaving as feeling starts to return to her. Her eyes dart erratically as they travel throughout the dark. Feeling the strain, she can faintly make out the outline of her surroundings.</p><p>Resisting the urge to stand, she gently moves her body, slowly moving her shoulders, limbs and then her fingers, her neck, her waist, and finally starts to stand.</p><p><em>Nothing broken,</em> she thinks in relief, rolling her shoulders with a grimace as she scans her surroundings, <em>that's going to bruise, though.</em></p><p><em>It's a little embarrassing, </em>she thinks<em>,</em> but it takes her a moment to realise she's drenched from head to toe. A small river barely a meter in width and barely reaching her ankle, travelling at a lacklustre speed past her.</p><p>Crouching, her fingers slowly trace the floor, tilting her head as she double-checks her surroundings.</p><p>Her first realisation is that she is standing on stone, not ice like she'd initially concluded. Her second is that only smooth ice lays above, three or so meters above her head, <em>not a pleasant thought, </em>she concludes<em>, since it means I've been dragged through a cave system.</em></p><p>The final one is more concerning since her touch with the stone brings her a faint amount of warmth.</p><p>She moves next to the wall, squinting her eyes as her hands trace the curved wall. It's like a pipe system, she realises, faintly fascinated, seemingly perfectly symmetrical to her eye.</p><p><em>Reptile-like creatures</em>, she ponders<em>, might leave near-perfect circumferent paths.</em></p><p>
  <em>...Do they emit heat?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Food for thought, but I'd rather feed after leaving. Which brings her short to her next thought.</em>
</p><p>From the lecture Entrapta had excitedly spurred during their trip, Catra could assume that the snake-like creatures emitted heat to melt their way through the ice. That meant they tunnelled their way under the ice, most likely building their own home -she had yet to figure out whether she'd like to find it- but it also meant they left water, and had dug sufficiently enough under their outpost that the quantity of water had been enough to drag her through this cave system.</p><p>So did she follow the flow of the water, or did she go in the opposite direction?</p><p>She, like a significant number of their soldiers, was prone to seasickness. Because those nightmare made coffins called ships wouldn't recognise the meaning of balanced even if it slapped them on the face. She felt like throwing up from just the memory. Unfortunately, it also meant she hadn't spent as much time listening to Entrapta as she usually would have.</p><p>She wanted to say follow the counterflow. But that would likely mean she would have to fight through those creatures -which was doable- with little mobility for acrobatics -not so doable- and with the possibility of them causing a cave system on top of... her...</p><p>She stills as a horrifying thought crossing her mind. If the myths held any factual evidence, then the creatures had inhabited this place for centuries.</p><p>So why was there only one path?</p><p>It could be that the myths were wrong, and they'd just arrived. Or Sparkles was right, and the crystal/triangle/She-ra off switch had given them new abilities. Or...</p><p>Catra swallowed thickly. Or the river froze at a sufficient speed that the recently formed caves took little time to disappear.</p><p>"Right." She whispers tiredly, hand reaching for her pocket. "You win Sparkles, congratulations on... your..."</p><p>Her hand searches her other pockets for the off-switch.</p><p>It's gone.</p><p>...</p><p>Of course, it's gone! When has she ever had the luxury of luck?</p><p>Letting out a heavy breath, she forces herself into calmness.</p><p>That complicates the answer. Following the creatures is the sure solution she doesn't know in which direction they would have dug through!</p><p>
  <em>The wrong direction could mean being frozen alive.</em>
</p><p>Okay, no. Think Catra. The flow of water doesn't mean anything. It would go towards the lower side, which on solid stone means nothing. She can't tell the difference in heat right now, but maybe the difference is noticeable if I start walking towards one side?</p><p>Catra sneezes.</p><p>Oh, right, her clothes are wet. For a moment, she bites her lip torn between the two ideas.</p><p>And then she takes her coat off, grimacing as she feels the horrible wetness of her fur. After a moment, she lets out a soft grown and continues.</p><p><em>Great!</em> She thinks sarcastically<em>. I'm lost in an underground river, there's a limited amount of time before it closes off, deadly serpent-like creatures the size of three tanks and in nothing but my under where.</em></p><p>
  <em>And I still don't know which direction to...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wait. Wait, wait, wait.</em>
</p><p>The water is flowing. But the water was ice, <em>melted ice</em>, and it's now flowing. She turns towards the opposite direction of the current, a smirk adorning her lip. <em>It's melted because they were going through it, which means that this would be the direction less likely to kill me. </em>She starts walking, holding her wet clothes under one arm hoping it dries before she reaches the surface.</p><p><em>Or at least I hope there's a way to the surface</em>. After all, it was snowing heavily, and for all, she knows the only way up was the way that would have killed her.</p><p><em>It all comes down to probability and chance, </em>she decides in resignation, somewhat appalled when she realises she's practically had a mini-Entrapta in her head the past ten minutes.</p><p>She bites her lip, her own thoughts dragged to the last seconds in the outpost. They would have survived, wouldn't they?</p><p>But she can only guess that the recently melted water below had been what broke her fall. It would explain why her entire side was in agony, like thousands of needles stabbing her in relentless motions. If not...</p><p>Scorpia has a fair amount of exoskeleton surrounding her body, and Entrapta's hair is much more robust than one would assume... they... they would have survived the fall, wouldn't they?</p><p>...Or maybe they hadn't fallen at all. Guilt swallows her with the knowledge that the creatures were after the artefact, which while the most likely reason the outpost had fallen, could also mean that she was the only one that had fallen...</p><p><em>They're alive</em>, she half concludes, half prays.</p><p>She just needs to get out of here, without the water freezing and trapping her, or monsters eating her, or Hordak knows what else could happen.</p><p>She thought that was unlikely. The day couldn't get any worse than this.</p><p>A sound echoes through the halls, sharp and distorted, and Catra only has a moment to curse before a bright light causes her to hiss as she turns her head from the sudden change.</p><p>Of course. Why does she even tempt these things? She swears to Hordak that if she gets eaten here by those stupid snakes she'll-</p><p>"Catra?"</p><p>...</p><p>She'd like the snakes, please.</p><p>"Why," Catra half hisses, half whines. "is it always <em>you</em>?"</p><p>Adora blinks, half-delirious as she tilts her head incredulous. "What happened to your clothes?" Are the words to pass her her lips before promptly falling, leaving a<em> moderately</em> hysterical Catra to wallow in her own pity.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>Adora's head hurts, not unlike the times she'd gotten drunk.</p><p>Not that she got drunk often, and even then she stopped when tipsy. After all, alcohol was mostly distributed when they either repelled an attack or took back their own land. Leaving rather high chances of having to fight when drunk. Something that, surprisingly, <em>didn't </em>increase one's chances of survival</p><p>But that summarised a day in the rebellion, where procedures and protocol were a foreign concept, except etiquette and politics were very much <em>not</em>.</p><p>For one, she couldn't get away with punching jerks.</p><p>For another, she couldn't tell the alliance they were terrible at their job because that'd be <em>rude</em>. And yes, she loved her friends dearly, but... they had no concept of military leadership whatsoever, no idea how to lead an army, and quite literally relied on overwhelming the Horde with magic.</p><p>Not that she was claiming they were useless. Far from it, since they had lasted for decades against the Horde, but... urgh, there were times when she really wanted to slam her head against the table. And then there were the times they played make-believe over maps with dolls. As if the <em>tiara </em>wasn't bad enough.</p><p>Adora groans. Vaguely remembering that she was supposed to be on an icy island in the middle of nowhere -which explained the cold- to retake an outpost that had belonged to the rebellion -which explained the bruises- a decade ago.</p><p>She shivers before tightening her grip on the source of heat. It wasn't cold as it was just... kind of breezy. Blinking, her senses start returning as she's greeted by pitch dark. Huh, why was it so-</p><p>"About time you woke up." Her warmth -was she being carried?- huffs irately. Actually, she kind of sounded like-</p><p>"Catra?"</p><p>"Oh good. You're not brain dead."</p><p>"I..." What? Er- okay, she <em>sometimes</em> lost track of things, but <em>how the hell had she lost track of </em><strong><em>this</em></strong><em>?</em></p><p>She remembers fighting Catra on the bridge... had they fallen? Urgh, her head hurt. "What happened?"</p><p>Catra huffs, shifting her weight slightly as she continues to carry her.</p><p>"Actually, where are we?"</p><p>"Under ice. Can you keep quiet now? I'm a little bit occupied."</p><p>"Er... what? Thinking?"</p><p>"Yes. And making sure nothing sneaks up to us."</p><p>"...What?"</p><p>"You know? Oversized snakes that are going to bury us alive."</p><p>"Oh! <em>That</em>!" After a moment of silence, Adora deflates."What snakes?"</p><p>"Size of a tank could swallow us whole, brought the entire outpost down? We're in one of their tunnels, and if they catch up to us we're kind of dead, so if you could let me listen..." She trails off, and Adora can practically imagine her long ears twitching as if trying to hear better.</p><p>"We both know you can listen<em> and</em> talk."</p><p>This time it's Adora's turn to huff when Catra shows no interest in answering, shivering again at the low temperature before she realises-</p><p>"Catra, are you <em>naked</em>?" She doesn't squeak, even if the sound is <em>somewhat </em>similar. She doesn't think about it either. She'd rather just... nope. No, nope, definitely not.</p><p>
  <em>Thank the First one's it's cold.</em>
</p><p>"It's called underwear, genius. And for the record? You're just as dressed as I am."</p><p>"Okay..." She'd rather not think on this entire... well,<em> thing</em>. "Why are <em>we</em> naked?"</p><p>"Because wet clothes are the fastest way to get hypothermia, and like an idiot, you didn't bring a waterproof coat."</p><p>"...She-ra can negate that amount of cold... can you hand me my sword? I can use it for light." And it had <em>clothes.</em></p><p>"Haven't got it."</p><p>Adora's faint contentment is crushed by sheer terror. Sudden dread overtaking her as her mouth dries.</p><p>"...<em>What</em>?"</p><p>"<em>Adora</em>, we're in the middle of an underground river with pathways that get replaced by ice in an hour. For all I know, it's probably somewhere frozen underground with Entrapta's weird artefact which I <em>won't</em> be using again." Catra snaps, movement becoming slightly agitated as she continues walking.</p><p>"Wh- no! I need to find-" Adora grimaces, a migraine forming as she suddenly feels dizzy.</p><p>"You hit your head, so how about you worry about this <em>after</em> we're out of the ice?"</p><p>"No! You don't get it, without the sword I can't-"</p><p>"-be She-ra? Yeah, I kind of noticed that." Catra sighs as she tries to hide her exhaustion.</p><p>Adora notices, her thoughts halted by the realisation that Catra's <em>still </em>carrying her. "...Are you okay? How long have you been carrying me?"</p><p>"Peachy. And... I don't know, about an hour?"</p><p>If nothing else, that explains why she's so chatty. Catra always had uniquely noticeable tells. And her sarcasm often made an appearance when she was exhausted. It also got them into trouble, but right now she's just grateful that Catras isn't at her throat. Literally, that is.</p><p>But she's not quite sure where that leaves them. It's always been difficult to tell what's going through Catras head. She can tell when something changes or when something bothers hers, or the tiny signs there are to know, but the particular chain of thoughts that go through her head? Not so much.</p><p>"Look," Catra interrupts the silence. "Chances are your tiara giving glowstick is still on the surface. If not it's probably just under. Yes?"</p><p>"...yeah." She nods, burying her face in Catras nape as she attempts to bury her growing panic. "I can walk by myself." She says, attempting to distract herself as she ignores the throbbing in her head.</p><p>"You mean crash yourself."</p><p>"I meant <em>not</em>." She murmurs, feeling her head spin as she starts to feel nauseous.</p><p>"Adora? You better not fall asleep on me." Catra hisses threateningly. But Adora can hear a faint trace of worry in her voice. "I swear to Hordak if you drool on-"</p><p>Adora doesn't make out the last part, consciousness fading as her eyes close fully.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>It's relief that floods her when she finds a large, cave-like structure at the end of one of the icy tunnels. A faint trace of light illuminating it as if indicating its presence for her. As desperate as she is to check on Adora, she also realises that she'd get the two of them killed if she didn't find some refuge first.</p><p>The tunnels are almost a natural maze, occasionally meeting every few minutes as she continues walking through them, hoping for some indication of raised ground that would take her towards the surface, or more importantly, to somewhere where it'd be safe to breathe.</p><p>There has to be an opening <em>somewhere</em> or they'd both would have died from asphyxiation -assuming those creatures are biological, and not technological as Entrapta had claimed- minutes after falling. <em>Of course,</em> she admitted worriedly, <em>It's entirely possible that the cave gets blocked off by the growing ice if I'm not careful, but-</em></p><p>Adora groans softly, a faint trace of blood still dripping down Catra back as she's still in the land of dreams.</p><p><em>She also still salivates asleep. </em>Catra's eye twitches<em>, </em>gently placing her down on the floor next to one of the cave's walls -and dear Hordak, Catra never thought she'd be so <em>grateful</em> to see a <em>rock</em> made cave- before she quickly scans the area.</p><p>It's a fairly large cavern, stalagmites and stalactites decorating it in a rather breathtaking manner made of both segments and ice. And for a moment, she stares completely mesmerised, wondering how the ice can give off a faint amount of light and heat.</p><p>
  <em>Concentrate.</em>
</p><p>Her pulse is fine, as is her breathing. The bleeding originates from a cut just above her ear, and while she's weary at the amount of blood spilt, she's also fairly certain it's a concussion and not some more severe head injury. Namely one where Catra <em>shouldn't</em> move her.</p><p>On another note, she really can't let anyone know that she might still have... <em>sympathies</em> for a traitor. She'd be executed on the spot, and Catra likes her head attached to her neck, thank you very much.</p><p>Rubbing her temples -something that seems to be becoming a tic- she leans in one of the large stalactites... stalagmites... whatever, staring at the ceiling half dead with exhaustion.</p><p>Urgh. It's not fair. Why does this always have to happen to her? Would it kill Adora to stay out of her business? <em>Honestly, Adora, it's not like anyone uses this place.</em></p><p>Blinking in surprise, her eyes dart towards the pillar behind her, standing tiredly as the fingers trace the deep engravement.</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Agnes x LS</em> </strong>
</p><p><em>It looks old,</em> she thinks idly, staring at the writing as she wonders if the people that wrote it ever made it out. Or maybe they left some sort of clue? Catra doesn't particularly like grasping straws, but she's not picky when her life is on the li-</p><p>Her ears twitch, her head snaps towards the entrance as her mismatched eyes meet a lilac coloured pair.</p><p>"Sparkles?" She blinks startled. More because she looks about to drop dead than her sudden appearance.</p><p>"Anyone else." She mutters in a near winning tone. "<strong>Literally</strong>, I would have rather met <em>anyone else</em>."</p><p>"Well, excuse you, I got here first so that's <em>my</em> sentence."</p><p>She opened her mouth to retort, only to still when she finally spots Adora sleeping form laying on the floor.</p><p>"She's alive, you welcome, no you don't have to thank me." Catra snarks, happily taking the opening.</p><p>"Er- no, <em>otstudita you</em>. Literally, none of this would have happened if you hadn't used the disc-</p><p>"-which wouldn't have happened had you minded your own business-"</p><p>"-Only because you took this land."</p><p>"For the love of-!" Catra lets out an irritated sound. "It's an ice-coated tiny island with nothing but snow and<em> ice</em>! Why does everyone care about it!"</p><p>"<em>I do not</em>! I wouldn't have come anywhere near the demonic, scaly,<em> d'yaviga</em> infected island if I had the choice. So how about you play with your slithering <em>fiernz'ya </em>while I take care of Adora?"</p><p>"Excuse you? This is my cave, find your own." Catra flips her off before she rubs her entire face, hoping that she's finally cracked and hallucinating.</p><p>Of course, she is unfortunately entirely -yes, <em>entirely</em>- sane.</p><p>To make things worse, she notes the slightly smaller entrance of the cave, noting the slightly taller ice made ground.</p><p>"Welcome to Catra's princess orphanage!" She mutters under her breath. "Because of course, I find the two princesses that <em>aren't</em> mine."</p><p>She bites her lip, blocking out her misery as her eyes dart towards sparkles.</p><p><em>I can work with this</em>, she hopes, eyes heavy with exhaustion as they dart between her two unwanted companions. <em>Somehow.</em></p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>
  <em> Sparkles princesses lesson on being educated: </em>
</p><p><strong>D'yaviga/D'yavigo</strong> - Meaning devil friend. From the word дьявол, which sounds like d'yavol, and amiga. Ergo: d'yav + iga. Extra note: Amiga and Amigo mean friend in different pronouns, with amiga being female and amigo being male.</p><p><strong>Otstudita/Otstudito</strong> - Meaning cursed apostate. Some world-building, but religion used to be a big thing until not that long ago. With the war, worship towards the First ones decreased, but it's still one of the bigger insults. It's from the word отступник, which sounds like otstupnik, and maldita. Ergo: otstu + dita. Extra note: In Spanish, female pronouns tend to finish in an a, and male pronouns with o. I can't think of any exceptions at the top of my head for this, but the probably are some.</p><p><strong>Fiernz'ya</strong> - Meaning friends in hell. Usually referred to people of great dislike. It's from the word, друзья, which sounds like druz'ya, and infierno, which means hell.</p><hr/><p>
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</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>First and foremost, a huge thank you to Hubris Plus that kindly went through the mess's that I call drafts.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>And when I said Whiteout had passed 5k, I meant 7 or 8, not reaching 15. There seems to be a difference between what I plan and what I write. Most noticeably, the fact that the story hijacks what I write.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>So sorry if it wasn't up to what you expected, but I did find it important, either foreshadowing, exploring characters or simply to build up the story as it progresses.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>On another note; d'yaviga/d'yavigo, otstudita/otstudito &amp; fiernz'ya are all invented words, so don't bother searching them up. And yes, my reaction of not swearing was to invent my own swears. My logic makes sense. Lol, <em>not</em>.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>It's a combination of Russian and Spanish. I won't bother you with the essay explanation since it is going to eventually come up, but long story short is that throughout the millennia, languages merged and changed up to the current point we're in now.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>But anyway, if you felt I should have written something differently, be it personality and/or displays of different states of mentality, please leave a comment! Any advice is welcome and appreciated!</strong>
</p><p><strong>Anyways, Ill See you next time! </strong> <strong>Ciao!</strong></p><p>
  <strong>~ Sapphire and Emeralds</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7 ~  Fragile Snowflake III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>A/N: She-ra and the Princess of power were made by J. Michael Straczynski and Larry DiTillio, I only take credit for my own added character's and storylines. Similarly, any references will be attributed to their original creators when they pop up.</strong>
</p><p><strong>Recommended story:</strong> A Commander Without an Army by A_Big_Old_Skeleton</p><p>One of the fics that got me thinking on the idea that would eventually lead to That You Are Here. Hordak fears the level of influence Catra has obtained over the army and assassinates her. Or rather, he tries to. Now she's left to wonder what exactly she's supposed to do with no one but her two closest friends to help her survive.</p><p>
  <strong>BTW, I also have an A03 account where I'm also publishing, if you prefer reading it there~.</strong><br/>
<strong>Enjoy!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Book I: Of Shard &amp; Concept</strong>
</p><p><strong>Chapter 7 ~ </strong> <strong>Fragile Snowflake III</strong></p>
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<hr/><p>
  <strong><em>Content Warning! </em>Implied depression, BPD, suicidal thoughts and other similar themes (if you squint you eyes). If any of the above is something you are not comfortable with, then you might want to skip this fic.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>There's also LGBT, but what are you doing here if that's a surprise?</strong>
</p>
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</p>
<hr/><p>"How are you not cold in that?" Catra grimaces, sending the princesses a suspicious glance.</p><p>"It's magic," Sparkles states with a smirk, twirling between steps to show off her clothes.</p><p>And, if nothing else, Catra's impressed that she can do that without nightvision.</p><p>But more importantly, "Er- no, that's a leotard."</p><p>The princess's eye twitches, sending Catra an irritated glare. "I meant the leotard is magic."</p><p>"Why would you put magic in a leotard?" She questions bewilderedly.</p><p>Not that she'd expect an answer. Catra can kind of guess, but it sounds so... princess like to put magic in clothes.</p><p>"To not need to walk around naked." Sparkles huffs, giving her a pointed look.</p><p>"That sounds like a waste."</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>"After all, I look amazing, why hide it?" Catra continues, eyes searching in the near dark for anything that isn't ice or rock. "Honestly, I'm more concerned that you're putting your magic in staying proper instead of getting us out of here."</p><p>"Uh-huh. Right, that is not how magic works. At all." The princess drawls as she awkwardly follows Catra through the cave.</p><p>"So what? It's like, sewed into your clothes or something?"</p><p>"Eh, more or less."</p><p>"...Can you recharge it?"</p><p>"At home? Sure."</p><p>"...Great. Useful, you are not." Catra snorts, feeling faintly amusement.</p><p>"Says the one with the attitude."</p><p>She doesn't bother with a response. And she can't help but think it's a shame sparkles had terrible - and non-existent- vision in the dark or she would have realised the insulting look she was being gifted. Not that Catra could see well, but she could at least vaguely make things out.</p><p>Honestly, why would any species develop an inferior set of eyes?</p><p>...Urgh, humans sometimes made absolutely no sense, she thinks, sending Adora a pointed glance.</p><p>As it is, she's the one carrying the princesses, one literally, while also being the only one capable of seeing with the lack of light.</p><p>Truthfully, she's more concerned by the lack of flowing water than any weird princessness.</p><p>Because the only reasonable conclusions are that there's no more ice to be melted, or that the snakes stop melting it. And she hopes it's the former, but keeps her ears sharp for anything -which makes up most of everything- that wants her dead.</p><p>"Catra?"</p><p>The girl in question sighs. "Yes?"</p><p>"Is- is that… can you see that in the ice?"</p><p>"Hmm?" Her eyes dart to where Sparkles points. "I can indeed."</p><p>"Oh. Good. I'm not imagining that then."</p><p>"I mean, it might be a joint delusion." She offers absentmindedly, not particularly interested in the conversation.</p><p>"...Could you take this seriously?"</p><p>"Between something old frozen in the ice, and people eating snakes, I think I know who isn't taking this seriously."</p><p>"How aren't you creeped out by this?" Sparkles groans, staring at the walls wearily.</p><p>"About what?"</p><p>"Oh, I don't know? A dozen people inside ice?"</p><p>"You mean glowing people in the ice." Catra feels the need to correct.</p><p>"That doesn't make it better."</p><p>"And I don't think they're people." She continues, ignoring the princesses' protest. "For one, only half resemble humanoids."</p><p>"...You can tell?" She asks incredulously.</p><p>"Some better than others. But they seemed to be near-identical shaped. Though I'm not taking the distortion into account. Probably some extinct creature."</p><p>"But why are they here?"</p><p>"Well, the place is supposed to be ancient. And it did use to have a warmer climate. Honestly, I'm more concerned that with all these tunnels, the snakes seemed to have avoided digging through them." She points out, seeing little reason to falter on the path down the cave.</p><p>"Oh brilliant, people eating snakes are terrified of them! Absolutely brilliant."</p><p>"I mean… they might just find them creepy?" She offers, feeling somewhat amused as she shifts Adora's weight.</p><p>"Oh, trekldit you!"</p><p>"What does that even mean?"</p><p>"What? You don't know?"</p><p>Catra's eyes darted towards her in faint expiration. "Sparkles, why would I know your weird princess language?"</p><p>"...You strike me as someone that would swear a lot."</p><p>"And princesses strike me as those that wouldn't. Unfortunately, nobody's perfect."</p><p>"Not from lack of trying."</p><p>"Yeah?" Catra's eyes narrow. "...Well-, trekldit you!"</p><p>"You don't even know what that means!"</p><p>"Then you should explain the weird, non-existing words." Catra snarks, lips twitching when the princesses cheeks puff out in offence.</p><p>"For the love off- they do exist! Literally, everyone uses them! Look, there's only some few dozen to start with, and-"</p><p>"Actually," Catra interrupts, "That's the first I ever heard of it. Who's 'everyone'?"</p><p>"Er-, the army?" Sparkles sends her a weird look. "Anyway, as I was-"</p><p>Catra stills, ears twitching frantically before she pulls sparkles onto the wall, covering her mouth as she signals for silence.</p><p>"Did you hear that?"</p><p>"I'm flattered. You actually think my hearing is better than yours?" She snarks, sending her an irritated glare from being interrupted again.</p><p>"Not really." She snarks back. "...pity, since I'm fairly certain I've just heard the beautiful sound of thunder."</p><p>"So we're close to the surface?" She asks hopefully.</p><p>"Who knows. We might be close to a hole to the surface, but I'm not particularly enjoying our… chances…"</p><p>"What's wro-?" In a single, sharp movement, Catra grabs her by the collar, pulling her back as she falls on the floor. "Mph- ad'fier!?"</p><p>"...We found our hole." She says slowly, staring downwards as Glimmer blinks and tries to follow her gaze.</p><p>"Right. I can't even see my feet. You're going to have to tell me where to walk." When she doesn't offer an instant response, Glimmer turns to her in faint worry. "Catra?"</p><p>"...Huh. Right. So… it's less some few steps… and more off… a kilometre or so. Probably more." She wrinkles her nose in dissatisfaction. "Also. I don't think it qualifies as a hole."</p><p>"...I'm guessing that that's a lot."</p><p>"Duh. It's one thousand meters and more."</p><p>"...In feet?"</p><p>Catra blinks, momentarily bemused by the comment. Then her lips twitch. "...You use feet to measure length." She asks, mirth almost visible in her tone.</p><p>"I- yes?"</p><p>"...Right. Because that works."</p><p>"I wasn't the idiot that came up with it!"</p><p>"Word of advice, Glimmer. Ninety-nine percent of the population is made up of idiots. Treat it as such."</p><p>"Valid point." She concedes with a sigh. "Rough approximate using a human's foot?"</p><p>Catra lets out an irritated breath as her eyes momentarily dart towards the large carven. "Close to five thousand, then."</p><p>She doesn't instantly reply, and for a moment, Catra worries she broke another princess, not a pleasant thought since that would equate to more baggage.</p><p>...Or she could just leave her behind. But while appalling, she would rather not risk encountering the snakes alone. So, with far more patience than she had, Catra turned towards Sparkles expectantly.</p><p>"... Malz'mi. She finally mutters. "Sechertz'mi! Of course, it's not easy. Anything else?"</p><p>"Well, It's also filled with water, and I have no idea how deep that is. Though, more importantly, this seems to have become a shipwreck storage area… thingy."</p><p>"Is there more?" She questions with a grimace.</p><p>"I'm fairly certain this is where our -oh, what did you call them?- slithering fiernz'ya have made their nest."</p><p>"...Going backwards and finding another path it is."</p><p>"It's probably already blocked. And even if it isn't, this is probably our way out."</p><p>"Of course." She lets out a tired groan, and Catra notes the slight ragged note in her breath. "Any way downwards?"</p><p>"...We're on a cliff...cave…" She struggles to find the right word, unsure how to describe the cavern. Entrapta would probably have a specific obscure name for it, she thinks fondly, "But no. We could jump, but as I said, no idea how deep it is, and there could easily be an old shipwreck underneath. I don't particularly want to be impaled."</p><p>"Yeah, neither do I." She grimaced distastefully. "If I threw some light downwards, would you be able to see it?"</p><p>"...I thought you were out of magic?"</p><p>She shifts for a moment in conflict before letting out a resigned sigh. "I'm out of family magic, yes. Sorcery, on the other hand, works by pulling magic in. And no, I can't transfer."</p><p>"Huh. Okay. I probably would be able to see -as long as it's not too bright-, depends if it can go underwater.</p><p>"For a few seconds, yes.</p><p>"Good to know. Any chances it'll-" Her lips twitch."-catch our slithering fiernz'ya attention?"</p><p>"... Malz'mi! I didn't think of that. Maybe? ...They seemed more interested in the artefact. But there seemed to be something magical in it?" She bites her lip, frowning as she considers the idea. "It could. That's into the theoretical area, and education is a bit of a luxury these days, with most of the sorcerers being… well, dead."</p><p>"Right... Last time I checked, Mystacor was neutral." Catra drawls, sending her a suspicious look. "Or is there something you want to say, Sparkles?"</p><p>"They died in the first rebellion." She hisses, "But when father died, they hardly had enough sorcerers to-" She stops herself, sending her a frustrated glare. "Point is, yes, they're neutral now." She snaps, torn between frustration and anger.</p><p>Which... honestly? she hadn't expected Sparkles to let slip even that much. From what she'd read from Shadow Wavers notes, it went on tangents on how Mystacor were cowards and how infuriating it was that they still could hide from her.</p><p>From what she understood, that seemed to do with nothing with cowardly, and everything to do with complete resource exhaustion.</p><p>Figures, she thinks irritatedly, the little intel she actually leaves me and it's wrong. And then she frowns, or maybe biased? Did Shadow Waver have any personal experience with Mystacor?</p><p>"Right." Thought for later. Get out alive first. "So worst case, we jump blind. I won't be able to swim and pull Adora at the same time."</p><p>"...Urgh. Right, we'll have to pull her… together" She sounds pained at the idea of teamwork.</p><p>Catra sympathises.</p><p>"Hmm. We'll swim towards the centre. Can you see it?"</p><p>"...kind off. I can make out some of its silhouettes. What is it?"</p><p>"No idea. Seems like a ship." She frowns, eyes narrowing as she notes that-"Hey sparkles? Does the rebellion -or anyone- make metal ships?"</p><p>"Er- No? Apart from the Horde, there are only decorative engravings."</p><p>"...well, that isn't a Horde ship. I'd recognise those death traps anywhere. It's also far too big... though..." Catra leans forward as if to take a better look before she lets out a fascinated sound. "Huh, I think where we're trying to swim is also where the snake's nest is."</p><p>"You still want to swim there, don't you?"</p><p>"Well, seeing how it's the most likely route to the surface, how it's the only dry land -or ship- I can see, not to mention is the main chance of shelter, then yes."</p><p>"Great. Fabulous. Did you see any snakes?"</p><p>"Nope. But the room's more prolate than spherical, so I'm fairly certain that it emits heat... Oh…" Catra blinks, suddenly feeling rather silly. "We just found the first one's tech. And it's the demon's nest."</p><p>"Takes one to know one." She snips with a huff. "The ad'fier is a prolate anyway?"</p><p>"No need to get snippy, sweetcheeks, and it's a stretched sphere. Entrapta made me learn all their names when she started developing new robots. Now can I get that light?"</p><p>"Of course, kitty-cat." They share a smile, their eyes meeting as each reflects the complete opposite of the present demeanours. "Do try not to fall."</p><p>A small orb of light slowly falls into the water, the faint sound of frizzling echoing throughout the cave as underneath the water becomes momentarily visible.</p><p>"Huh."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"I think I just found some more frozen people." Catra contemplates absentmindedly, suppressing the amount of disturbance the picture gives her as her glance darts through its surroundings.</p><p>"Lovely, anything deadly?"</p><p>"Apart from everything? Not really. I suppose we might as well-"</p><p>A rumbling sound echoes throughout the flooded cavern, both girls still before slowly sharing a look.</p><p>"D'yavigo."</p><p>"Jump, now!</p><p>Through the air, Catra has a moment to note three separate thoughts. First, while not instantly deadly, if she is proven wrong, then the centre's lack of heat will leave them dead like so many others have clearly also suffered.</p><p>Secondly, a snake is floating towards the magic. And it moves much faster than she -or sparkles- can swim without taking into account the comatose weight.</p><p>As they slam into the water, Catra grabs the other's hand, dragging both bodies deeper as they swim towards one of the shipwrecks underneath them.</p><p>Her third thought is proven true because while wrecked, it's clear that it is also made up of some metallic material. Tilted to the side, half sticking out and partially frozen, it's likely to have air pockets they can use to their advantage.</p><p>If nothing else, sweetcheeks is smarter than given credit, either realising what she's thinking or realising it's their best chance to survive as she grabs Adora's other hand and starts to pull as they enter through one of the broken doorways.</p><p>And she's proven right when they both hit the smaller pockets -pocket's, pocket?- surface, gasping for air as if they never breathed before.</p><p>"You're crazy!" Sparkles states, gasping for air as she helps pull Adora's head to the surface. "Brilliant, but crazy. No wonder Entrapta loves you."</p><p>"We're going to have to do this to get to the middle." Catra thinks out loud, ignoring the princess as her ears twitch frantically. "That's a good six... well, two thousand feet."</p><p>"That's fine. Juliet made sure I could hold my breath during the basic training. Not that she included iced water..." Sparkles shivers. "Better not give her ideas."</p><p>"Right." Catra drawls, amused by the princesses priorities. "I'll swim ahead and find another pocket. Keep Adora afloat and Hordak's shake, make sure she's still breathing."</p><p>"I thought cats didn't like water?</p><p>Too tired to snap with fury, she simply rolls her eyes. "And It's a stupid assumption. Monkeys don't touch fire because they'd get burnt, humans don't touch fire because they'd get burnt. Cats don't touch the water because it weighs down their fur, I don't like water because It weighs down my fur." Sparkles blinks, blindsided by the response. She doesn't particularly care, choosing to give her a pointed look instead. "Now keep her floating."</p><p>"Er- sure, try not to get yourself killed."</p><p>Catra lets out a huff, giving the princess a final, unimpressed glance before taking a calming breath.</p><p>And then she inhales sharply, reluctantly grateful that she was taught how to swim during her years as a cadet. She dives underwater, carefully peeking from the debris of the ship as she shoots the snake a wary gaze.</p><p>Aware that the princess -and herself- have a limited amount of air in supply she carefully continues moving, eyes darting for any seemingly intact structures of the vessel.</p><p>Truth be told, it's safe to admit she has no idea what she's doing past surviving. Even if they do make it to the centre, there isn't any telling whether they'd actually have better chances of survival. It's the Horde all over again, she ponders tiredly, legs slowly propelling her through the water. Her heart pounds her chest loudly, eyes repeatedly glancing upwards as she's careful to not alert the growing number of snakes that float on top of the water. They move in a circular motion, very much knowing their prey as they search for their food.</p><p>Well, it's not quite floating, since none of them actually stop. It's more like it's gliding on the water. She's fascinated by the thought. Those things destroyed the outpost, not to mention they survived the extreme harshness of the weather and ice. Yet they glide as if they were completely weightless.</p><p>Magic was weird like that.</p><p>...Or maybe it might be lung capacity?</p><p>Huh. Now she's even more curious. Maybe if she-</p><p>It feels like her chest explodes. A sudden slashing splash that resounds through the water from one of the creature's sudden movements. Low on air and mind filled with panic, there's a foreboding moment when she thinks she might just die, hidden but corned in the debris, prime for eating.</p><p>But after seconds of near silence, she realises that she isn't found, and the snakes are slowly returning to their nest.</p><p>She barely stops herself from letting out a relieved breath. She shakes her head, eyes darting through the frozen graveyard, aware of her limited time as she swims towards the sturdier-looking ones. The knowledge that if she doesn't find another pocket of air, she'd be forced to hit the surface fuels her with what little energy still remains inside her.</p>
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<hr/><p>"Let's go near the snakes, she said. Nothing could possibly go wrong, she said."</p><p>Catra sends her a weary glance. "We're far more likely to be heard if you keep at it." She points out before scowling. "And I never said that."</p><p>"How exactly are we pulling her up?" Sparkle sighs, staring at the large vessel wearily.</p><p>Oh good, she's had bad experiences with First one's tech as well. That makes Catra feel slightly better.</p><p>And worse, since it's setting a precedent.</p><p>...Mostly worse, actually.</p><p>"I… am working on it." She frowns at the ladder -and she's curious why a ship would have a ladder built on it- as she wonders how she's supposed to-</p><p>"Can you pull her up?" She counters with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>"Yes, I can. How to climb while holding her is where it's tricky."</p><p>"Urgh. I can't believe I'm doing this. Try not to move much." Taking her cape off, she ties it around Catra's and Adora's waist. "There. That should work." Eyes narrowing she gives Catra a pointed look. "Once we're up there, I want it back."</p><p>"Hmm," Catra blinks, reaching out for the ladder as she starts to climb up the ship.</p><p>"Oh no. No need to thank me." Sparkles snarks as she follows suit.</p><p>"You realise, It's your princess I'm carrying."</p><p>"Yeah, and for some ridiculous reason, that's also your friend."</p><p>"Ex-friend." She feels the need to correct.</p><p>Sparkles snorts, mirth sparkling in her eyes. "Don't you mean ex-girlfriend?"</p><p>Catra blinks, tilting her head bewilderedly as she stares inquisitively. "...I know she's a girl, that's literally what I just said."</p><p>"I- no, that's…" She blinks, staring at her with a strange look. "Actually, this explains so much." She mutters the end to herself, seemingly having reached an important revelation.</p><p>Catra narrows her eyes, sending the princesses another weary look before she reaches the final step.</p><p>"Right," Catra drawls, eyes scanning the deck for anything particularly murderous.</p><p>She's pleasantly surprised when nothing murderous greets her.</p><p>"Oh look," Sparkles snarks, "there's no giant snake hiding behind the fence!"</p><p>"You're right." She nods, startling the girl with her easy admission while she traces the suspiciously spotless surface of the vessel. That alone would have made her suspicious. "There might, however, be baby snakes that call the mother snake."</p><p>Sparkles stills. "...Ah. Yeah, no. I almost rather you hadn't said that now."</p><p>Catra hums as her eyes dart towards the centre. "There's a door here. Help me open it."</p><p>"We're really going inside the ship that has the things that want to eat us?" She grimaces, walking towards her before tilting her head curiously. "...why is there a wheel on the door?"</p><p>"...I think it's watertight?" Catra offers thoughtfully. "Huh. Your First ones really did know what they were doing. And It's better than staying out without cover. Besides, there's at least some light coming from in there" As the door opens, she smirks. "See it's bright, warm, not to mention-"</p><p>"The ad'fier Happened to your arm?"</p><p>"...Hmm. Let's just say I won't stop you from destroying the off switch." She deflects, examining the hallway, the faint, red color of light emanating from the corners of the ceiling as it illuminated the inside of the vessel.</p><p>And it was still too clean for her taste.</p><p>"...Pfft. Karma much?"</p><p>"I don't know what that means. But from your tone, no it isn't." Catra huffs, sending the princess an irritated glare. "Now stop distracting me and help me find a way up." She snarks, walking towards the staircase. Hoping that, for once, it's as easy as it appears.</p><p>"...Er-why up?"</p><p>"Because that's the most likely place to have any comms." Catra points out, feeling no need to add the 'duh' to her sentence.</p><p>"Shouldn't we find a place to let Adora rest?"</p><p>"…Fine, either works at this point." She mutters, shifting the sleeping beauty as they start walking down the stairs.</p><p>"Don't drop her." The princess warns as she walks in front of her.</p><p>"Don't worry, I'll make sure to land on you."</p><p>"Thank you." She huffs, opening the closest door on the floor before letting out a sigh of relief. "Thank the First ones, there are beds.</p><p>Catra stares bewilderedly as the princess sinks -she means that literally- into the bed. Had… had the first one's made some sort of flexible metal?</p><p>Huh, she thinks incredulously, weird.</p><p>"Well," Catra drawls, eyes carefully scanning Adora's head after she lays her on the second bed. "She's still alive, somehow. Honestly, not even a year and you already forgot how to shield a fall, dummy."</p><p>"Not everyone gets to land on their feet." Sparkles murmurs from where she lies.</p><p>"Yeah. Myself included." Catra had swung between conscious and unconsciousness. But from her aches, she's fairly certain she fell on her shoulder into a body of recently melted water. From there she'd probably been dragged through the current until it was too thin to continue pulling her.</p><p>She had, however, remembered to shield her head.</p><p>"Anyway, scoot over."</p><p>Sparkles stares incomprehensibly. After another moment, Catra lets out a huff and slides to the lower side before closing her eyes.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Only to open one as she stares at the disbelieving figure. "What, what?"</p><p>"I-, why are you in my bed?"</p><p>"Because there are two beds, and I'd rather not sleep in the one with an injured person. Now zip it, I'm tired."</p><p>She ignores Sparkle's high pitch squeak as she forces her body to relax, feeling the weight of her eyes as she yawns in exhaustion.</p><p>Eventually, Sparkles seems to reboot, muttering to herself as she reluctantly lies down on the other side of the bed.</p><p>Catra almost laughs at the expression she makes.</p><p>But hours pass, and by the third, she lets out a resigned sigh and opens her eyes as she leaves the bed.</p><p>She hadn't expected to sleep, but she wouldn't have been against that particular surprise.</p><p>As it is, she moves to the neighbouring room, following the same routine she's become far too accustomed to in the last few months. Stretching her joints after making sure that nothing is broken or too strained.</p><p>It's only when she catches sight of herself that she realises how terrible she actually looks.</p><p>There's a mirror in Scorpia's room, she knows, but Catra herself had never bothered asking for one for her own.</p><p>As a matter of fact, the only thing that is in her room is her bed -significantly less comfortable than the one she's using- and a small dresser at its side.</p><p>Looks aren't important, but between the profound bruises under her eyes and the faint, pale light from the hallway, she looks like a corpse that hasn't realised it's reached death.</p><p>Well, at least for the most part. She thinks dryly, eyes darting to her right arm. It looks… rather worse than it had… Well, however long ago it's been since she fell down here.</p><p>While previously having run through the veins of her hand to the forearm, it now resembles a mix between a bruise and burns. She's somewhat befuddled that it's actually visible. Catra, like many others, has scars. That being said, her fur had always hidden them, to the point that not even Adora had realised she had any.</p><p>Well, Rogelio might have, she supposed, but he didn't exactly count.</p><p>Is it spreading? She can't help but ponder, touching it with one of her left hands claw.</p><p>While originally violet, it was now taking a darker, almost ash-like shade, having turned the surface fur almost translucent. She hadn't lied, when she told Entrapta it didn't hurt. It didn't. She felt a faint something, but apart from describing it similar to discomfort, the feeling was… she almost wanted to call it elusive.</p><p>And weird as hell, she thinks as her finger places some pressure on the forearm, somewhat grossed out when the veins surface, a faint red contrasting with the dark ash.</p><p>That's enough of that, she decides, eyes returning to the mirror with a frown.</p><p>She'd left their clothes where she'd first met Adora, and her headpiece -which had always been a challenge to keep on- had been knocked off throughout her descent. Embarrassingly, she only now noticed it missing.</p><p>But… well, Catra can only speculate, but if this was some sort of cargo ship, then there would have probably been people here when it-, when whatever it was that happened here happened.</p><p>Which more importantly, meant that there should be clothes.</p><p>And Catra had never had the option to choose her own clothes before. Ironic, really, seeing how her clothes had almost become a point she liked to make.</p><p>It'd only been some few years ago when she'd been at the lowest of the food chain. And when she'd been denied a set of cadets clothes, forced to wear the set she still had up to today, she'd decided to do so with pride.</p><p>It got better, mostly because she still wore the same clothes meant as an insult when she could send them to Beast island with a snap of her fingers.</p><p>It was an amusing thought.</p><p>After searching through a dozen rooms, she finally finds clothes that won't rub her fur the wrong way -which hardly shortens her options, to her delight- and that actually fit her tastes.</p><p>A relatively thick tank top, a half cloak that almost reached her elbows and fingerless gloves similar to the ones she'd had before. The trousers were baggier than what she'd intended, but the material was thick and it didn't irritate her fur. They were all in a darkish grey colour, and Catra couldn't help but think that they'd been intended for some form of camouflage, though where was beyond her.</p><p>It's also when a more important thought hits her.</p><p>If the vessel still has power, and that power is used to heat the vessel, would that mean that the bathroom still works?</p><p>It does.</p><p>And it's warm water at that.</p><p>There's a grossly exaggerated idea, as Sparkles showed, that Catra doesn't like water. That's untrue. Catra dislikes cold water since damp cold fur was horrible, she loathes seawater, since salt-filled, freezing and damp fur was a nightmare.</p><p>Hot, clean water?</p><p>Ahh.</p><p>It's midway through her bliss that the thought hits her. If the power still works, then wouldn't that mean some sort of communications should also still work?</p><p>And yeah, I know Entrapta, it's probably broken, but it was still emitting a strong enough signal that they found it in the first place. She could just... well, as her princess would put it, hack into it and play around.</p><p>She spends the next minute, in boiling warm water, pressing her forehead on the wall, blaming it on the exhaustion before she finally decides to return to work.</p><p>Cleaner -no dirt under her claws, her fur and hair feeling lighter than ever- and warmer, she reaches out for the clothes and starts to dress.</p><p>She hesitates for a moment, staring at the half cloak before deciding she might as well keep warm. Unlike most, it's light and soft on her fur and she almost leaves before her eyes drift to the edge of the room.</p><p>Raising an eyebrow, she reaches for the handle of a knife, tilting her head as she brings it towards the faint rays of light.</p><p>It was far more ornamented than she would usually ever be seen with, but between the dark tones of black and grey, it was clearly not a princess weapon.</p><p>Not that she knew much about knives to start with. It was a single-edged one, slightly longer than her forearm with a slight curve to its design.</p><p>Biting her lip, her eyes darted through the room as if trying to figure out the owner's personality just from a glance.</p><p>It's one thing that Catra took the person's clothes, another entirely to take their weapon.</p><p>They were probably dead, true, but this was important.</p><p>For those in the Horde, your weapon was the only thing that was truly yours. It was the only possession you were truly buried with. She still had her stun baton next to her bed in HQ. For all it was inconvenient more often than not, beaten, dented and cracked to the point where it didn't even produce electricity anymore, it was her weapon.</p><p>And for a moment, she starts to put it down, perhaps even where its partner had died centuries ago, but-</p><p>Her tongue slowly rubs the top of her teeth as she unsheathes the blade, eyes reflected on the sharp weapon before she lashed her arm, the blade offering no resistance.</p><p>For a moment, she stares at the mirror. And then she raises the blade, carefully cutting a fringe that took her years to grow.</p><p>Sharp feels like an understatement with how easily it cuts.</p><p>Or maybe she has low standards. Hordak knows it wouldn't be the only area of her expertise.</p><p>And her hair now looked a bit of a disaster. She took into account the extra weight of the water, but... yeah, better she leave it as is and let Scorpia deal with the rest... at least she could see now.</p><p>Some material underneath the tank top covered her stomach, working surprisingly well at keeping her warm. She'd also been worried that the half cloaks fur might make her look like a princess. It didn't, thankfully. If anything, it meshed well with her hair.</p><p>She didn't look amazing but... well, better than a corpse.</p><p>"I'll take care of it." She promises nonetheless. Words echoing softly for a stranger. "So let me use it here, yeah? Who knows. If these things did kill you, then your partner gets to have revenge." She waits for a moment longer, as if waiting for a silent approval before she closes the door behind her, walking back towards the princesses, blade firmly strapped to her belt.</p><p>Now to look for a comm and try to remember the knot's and mazes that Entrapta called wires.</p>
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  <strong> <em> Sparkles princesses lesson on being educated: </em> </strong>
</p><p><strong>Trekldit</strong> - Meaning curses. From the word треклятый, which sounds like treklyatyy, and maldita sea. From there, it's trekl + dit.</p><p><strong>Sechertz'mi </strong>and <strong>Malz'mi - </strong>Meaning the same, from the words черт возьми, which sounds like chert voz'mi, and maldita sea. Ergo mal + z'mi &amp; se + chert +z'mi. The meaning is similar to cursed hell, but doesn't quite translate the same.</p><p><strong>Ad'fier</strong> - Means hell in both russian and Spanish. Ergo ад, which sounds like ad + infierno.</p>
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  <strong>As always, a huge thank you to Hubris Plus, Sathroe and Tara for reading through the draft! This wouldn't be anywhere near as easy to read without their advice and help!</strong>
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  <strong>And as for me, I'll stop trying to predict how long each story will be since fragile snowflake was initially struggling to reach the 5k... it's about to reach the 20k... at some point, I really should realize this story just doesn't like doing what I tell it to.</strong>
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  <strong>None the less, I did think everything was important story-wise, either for building up the later chapters -much, much later- or simply to make their characters more three dimensional. So... sorry, but not sorry? Wops...</strong>
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  <strong>That being said, I've finally finished writing for the sake of canon divergence, and can now start working on the direction I wanted the story to take -Chapter 8 is almost finished, some polishing and one scene to be done-.</strong>
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  <strong>But anyway, if you felt I should have written something differently, be it personality and/or displays of different states of mentality, please leave a comment! Any advice is welcome and appreciated!</strong>
</p><p><strong>Anyways, Ill See you next time! </strong> <strong>Ciao!</strong></p><p>
  <strong>~ Sapphire and Emeralds</strong>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8 ~  Fragile Snowflake IV</h2></a>
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  <strong>A/N: She-ra and the Princess of power were made by J. Michael Straczynski and Larry DiTillio, I only take credit for my own added character's and storylines. Similarly, any references will be attributed to their original creators when they pop up.</strong>
</p><p><strong>Recommended story:</strong> how things are supposed to be by maggiesbombshell</p><p>Where Adora tries to pretend she isn't crushing on her best friend. She fails. Miserably.</p><p>
  <strong>BTW, I also have an A03 account where I'm also publishing, if you prefer reading it there~.</strong>
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  <strong>Enjoy!</strong>
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  <strong>Book I: Of Shard &amp; Concept</strong>
</p><p><strong>Chapter 8 ~ </strong> <strong>Fragile Snowflake IV</strong></p><hr/><p>
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  <strong><em>Content Warning! </em>Implied depression, BPD, suicidal thoughts and other similar themes (if you squint you eyes). If any of the above is something you are not comfortable with, then you might want to skip this fic.</strong>
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</p><hr/><p>It takes Glimmer longer than she'd like to admit to find the woman in question.</p><p>She knows she went up, yes. Unfortunately, the ship is large, and up is still <em>a lot. </em>This does, however, leave her with enough time to come up with the weird realisation that she's looking for -not to mention <em>working</em> with- the woman that led the invasion to her home just some months ago.</p><p>Not the happiest of realisations.</p><p>Of course, that's also when she has to find the cockpit. Unlike the pristine clean of the hallway and rooms, it resembles... well, the closest comparison is Entraptas laboratory. Which is to say a chaotic <em>mess</em>. Devices and wires lay everywhere, computers half opened with even more wires interlacing from inside.</p><p>She sends the room a wary glance. It's almost taboo to claim the first one's used technology, that the ancient race had created and grown with it, but…</p><p>Glimmer isn't stupid. Sheltered as she is, as many painful whispers as there were in the academy, she <em>can</em> pick up on what went unsaid. And while her history lectures never quite stated it, she <em>had</em> been in a First Ones temple.</p><p>Thing is, it'd been designed so similarly to her own home, to the homes of her friends, that she'd never thought much of it. That the First Ones might have been technologically advanced. And maybe <em>fallen</em> because of it.</p><p>She's never been one for religion. Most princesses weren't ever since the start of the war. Once upon a time La Catedral had encompassed every country, every village and every family. But while it had dwindled, its core teaching remained firmly ingrained. And at its core, nothing was more integrated into the culture than the hatred and fear towards technology.</p><p>So when she finally finds Catra, it's with the growing realisation that, for all her people believed and claimed, this ship was a counter proof of Glimmer's beliefs. Even with the noticeable difference in design. The contrasting white and black with hints of crystal and grey, the sleek designed with a polished glow like it was made yesterday.</p><p>She's in a First One's made ship, and there's not a single magical rune or spell to be found.</p><p>And she couldn't help but wonder, <em>did her mother know this? The same gods they worshipped used technology far surpassing what was taboo?</em></p><p>...</p><p>As she was saying<em>, not the happiest of realisations.</em></p><p>Especially when one of the leading forces of her vortex of doubts was currently trapped under First Ones know how much ice with her. <em>Alone.</em></p><p>She makes a note to study healing magic, if only so that next time, Adora has to help deal with her ex -not so ex but maybe still ex- girlfriend.</p><p>The woman in question lay underneath a table that she thinks might also be a computer, tinkering sounds and soft frustrated muttering drifting out almost ominously.</p><p>"How are you even up already?" She asks, rubbing her eyes in the hope of alleviating their weight.</p><p>"How did you sleep so long?" She shoots back.</p><p>"I slept six hours, <em>tops</em>."</p><p>"Yeah, case in point." She snorts, crawling from underneath the table with a small device in...</p><p>"...Wardrobe change?" Glimmer offers, with a lot less bite than she intended it with.</p><p>"Hmm, I'd rather not freeze to death." Her lips form into a smirk, eyes glinting in the dark as she turns towards one of the screens and-</p><p><em>Urgh, First Ones help me, she actually looks good in them.</em> "What <em>are </em>you doing?" Is it normal? <em>Does the Horde just have good-looking people?</em></p><p>"Fixing this,<em> obviously</em>."</p><p>"You don't say…" She feels the need to drawl.</p><p>"I have no wish of dying here. So if you have nothing constructive to add, I'll get back to trying to get this thing working."</p><p>"Right, because you're only trying to fix ancient First Ones' tech." She drawls, rubbing her forehead tiredly.</p><p>Catra snorts. "I've heard Entrapta rant about it enough to <em>kind of</em> know what I'm doing."</p><p>Glimmer flinches, remembering the eccentric scientist with overwhelming guilt.</p><p>She… hadn't been particularly nice to Entrapta. Not that she'd been cruel, but maybe… somewhat dismissive. Bow might have mellowed her views on technology but… <em>but it was still taboo</em>. Glimmer didn't <em>want</em> to be prejudiced. She didn't just choose what emotions she felt. But when Entrapta always talked as if it was better than <em>magic</em>, it was really hard to not snap at her. To snap at one of her fellow princesses, the <em>symbol </em>of magic.</p><p>Though maybe that was her oversight, since the older woman wasn't an original princess. For that matter, she wasn't even part of a noble legacy.</p><p>It'd been around the time when she'd been born. When their numbers had dwindled so much that the nobility had been granted the title of Princess, if only to cover the territorial rule while the war raged.</p><p>And she remembered Princess Entrapta being such a controversial subject. How the few remaining subjects of Dryl had elected an orphan -one without the ability to wield magic at that!- as their ruling Lord. So when the nobles had been retitled, it'd been a vicious argument that lasted for <em>years</em>. The princess alliance hadn't wanted to name a non-magic wielder with the title, but some members of the neutrals had refused to leave their own titles while she was 'given special treatment'. The argument of whether she should be stripped of her title had been raised, but… well, the idea of losing a title by vote had raised even more outrages. In the end, Entrapta had been titled princess with great, <em>great</em> reluctance, dark muttering, and irritated politics, effectively leaving her stuck in the middle of a power play.</p><p>But for the most part, she specifically remembered Entrapta <em>not</em> attending any of these discussions.</p><p>And, if anything, that really should have been a tell that she just hadn't been interested.</p><p>"...Can I ask you something?" Glimmer fidgeted.</p><p>"Sure, knock yourself out."</p><p>"Last time you said Adora left Entrapta behind. Was that a figure of speech?</p><p>Catra frowns, turning to gaze at her warily. "What?"</p><p>"...We thought Entrapta was dead." She explains quietly. "And I didn't think about it then, but it... it sounded like you thought we left her behind."</p><p>"You didn't?" She's not sure why the faint disbelief hurts her. They're not friends, for all this temporary -very, <em>very </em>temporary- compromise had forced them together.</p><p><em>...maybe because they're supposed to be the bad guys,</em> she thinks feeling exhausted. <em>And what does that make me? When the bad guy thinks</em>I'm<em> the bad guy?</em></p><p>"No! We thought she was burnt alive! If we knew she survived we would have gone back!"</p><p>"...Well..." Catra says slowly, eyes darting towards the screen before returning to study her. After a moment, the sharpness in her gaze dulls slightly, letting out an irritated sigh as she returns to her work. "Next time you see her, you should probably tell her that."</p><p>"I-" Glimmer blinks, surprised by the lack of heat from the conversation. "Yeah… yeah, I guess I should."</p><p>"Mh-hmm. Well, with that done, why don't you make yourself useful and not touch anything. There's a window there, you can look pretty while I do the work."</p><p>Her eye twitches as she sends the woman an irritated glare. "Oh, trekldit off." Urgh. Catra might just be the most confusing woman Glimmer has ever met. She can't figure out what goes through that head, one minute she's being as sarcastic as Glimmer, the next...</p><p><em>No idea. </em>Glimmer simply doesn't <em>understand </em>her.</p><p>"You weren't this entertaining last time." Her pondering is interrupted. "How come you won't stop swearing now?"</p><p>"Swearing? With <em>Bow</em>? He's almost as bad as<em> mum</em>." She shivered, remembering the one time her mother had caught her swearing. First Ones forbid she'd learnt the swear from her mother to start with. "Don't worry, my language will return to a pristine state the second we return."</p><p>"Oh? And here I rather enjoyed this side of you." Glimmer stills, feeling a slight heat creep to her cheeks. She stomps it. <em>Viciously.</em></p><p>"It's all stored just for you." She chooses to lift her chin instead. "Not like there's anyone else I can swear at."</p><p>"Hmm, I'm guessing Adora was scandalised."</p><p>"That's an understatement."</p><p>"Yeah, sounds like-" Catra stops, blinking as the screen starts to make a noise. "Say, how long would you say we've been underneath ice?"</p><p>"Er-, maybe a day?</p><p>"Probably." Tilting her head, her expression turns thoughtful as she starts twisting a button. "If I know Entrapta, then she's probably using some scanners right now." Standing up, she reaches for one of the switches and flicks it upwards. "And-" The screen's light switches on, black and white flashing erratically. "I can probably contact her if I make enough noise in her scanner."</p><p>"...Right. Do you even know what-?"</p><p>"Catra!?" Entrapta's overly cheerful voice echoes from the screen. Though this is the first time Glimmer has ever heard any trace of concern in it.</p><p>"Oh, good, it works."</p><p>"Wildcat! Thank Hordak you're okay!" Another voice echoes from the screen, this one slightly more distorted than the other. "Where are you? Don't worry, we'll get you out as soon as we get there!"</p><p>"Calm down, Scorpia." Catra lips twitch, eyes warming with fondness. "We're in the snake's nest. Inside some first one's vessel-" Entrapta's faint squeak is all Glimmer needs to know that she wants nothing to do with it. "And I needed her advice on some things."</p><p>"I'm all ears! What does it look like? Did you get data? New tech? <em>Anything</em>?"</p><p>"Yes. And it's emitting heat. So... I was hoping you could tell me how to crank it up higher?"</p><p>"Er- what?"</p><p>"Uh-huh." Catra smirks at the screen, lazily leaning her face into her hand. "If we suddenly heat up the whole place, it'll melt, and maybe, say... explode and push the whole vessel upwards?"</p><p>"...what?" The insanity of the plan is enough that Glimmer and Entrapta speak synchronized.</p><p>"The ship is- what? Millennia old? The only scratch is the paint, which means it's rather durable. Seeing how we're under the water level, if we flood the place, the ship will float upwards."</p><p>"Er- Catra, It'll also <em>sink</em> downwards, the water will pull you with it." Entrapta points out.</p><p>"Only if we don't leave fast enough." Catra counters, claws going through her hair, making her look much more believable than Glimmer would ever admit.</p><p>"...Okay," Entrapta sighs. "<em>Okay</em>. Let's fix the camera so I can see what I've got to work with."</p><p>"Already on it." Catra smiles, placing the screen on the table before she turns to meet her gaze. "Sparkles? Bring Adora up here, if we go the violent way I'd rather she didn't hit her head again." And then she smirks -something Glimmer notes happen far too often- returning to her work with a final piece of sarcasm. "There's few enough brain cells as is."</p><p>"Wait, <em>wait, wait</em>. You're going to blow the place up while we're<em> inside </em>it?"</p><p>Catra slowly blinks once."...Pretty much, yeah." Maybe noticing her doubts, Catra sends her an amused smile. "You can either help me break out, or watch me break out. But either way, I'm breaking out."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>"Remind me again why we're doing this?" Glimmer hisses quietly, eyes darting through the hallway.</p><p>"Because overpowering an ancient battery is bad enough without working it remotely." Catra tilts her head, looking at the maze of corridors as she softly hums. "I think the engine room is this way. <em>Probably.</em>" She remarks to herself, walking down one of the halls as Glimmer just stares.</p><p>She better be <em>better </em>at reading maps than Adora or Glimmer might just scream.<em> Snakes be damned.</em></p><p>"I meant blowing the place up."</p><p>"I like blowing things up."</p><p>"I like blowing things up when they're <em>not me</em>." Sparkles hisses with a scowl.</p><p>"Hn. If you have any better ideas I'm all ears, sweet cheeks."</p><p>"How about waiting for your robots to dig us out of here?"</p><p>"One," Catra lifts a finger. "we have no idea how deep we are, and I'm not keen on eating any food that's still in here. Two," She lifts another. "that would include having to sneak past the snakes, swim past the snakes, and climb past the snakes."</p><p>"Argh! Of course it's- Fine! If we're blowing this place up we might as ad'fier well make it big!"</p><p>"That's the-!" Catra stopped, blinking as her eyes darted forward. Glimmer raises an eyebrow, eyes darting towards where Catra is-</p><p>Through the door is a large hangar filled with countless containers.</p><p>And snakes. Sleeping snakes. Deadly, house-sized snakes that had almost eaten them alive.</p><p>"...Let's <em>not </em>go this way." Catra whispers, sharing a look with Glimmer as she nods, because for all she's desperate to leave she's not quite at the point where-</p><p>Both girls blink, staring at plate-sized glass-like spheres. Crimson red staring back at them blankly. And then it lets out a growl like screech.</p><p>In an instant, Catra pulls out her knife and strikes forward -she'd rather stab first and ask later- with nothing but spite and reflex. Stabbing its eye as she watches it fracture with the following of pained screams.</p><p>
  <em>She doesn't particularly care.</em>
</p><p>"Run!" Catra hisses, grabbing her wrist with one hand as she holds her knife with the other. They run into the hanger narrowly escaping the first set of fangs, watching as it hisses dangerously from the narrow railing.</p><p>"Why are we running <em>towards</em> the snakes?" Sparkles asks between breaths.</p><p>"Find a door, princess. We can talk after survi- <em>Jump!</em>"</p><p>She doesn't even give her a chance, throwing herself from the fence as she pulls Sparkles with her. Her feet slammed into the floor some few meters under before awkwardly rolling in hopes of decreasing the impact.</p><p>
  <em>It still stings.</em>
</p><p>Grimacing, Catra forces herself up, reaching for the princess's arm as a shiver goes down her spine.</p><p>A dozen pairs of snake eyes open, staring at them with nothing but instinctual hunger.</p><p>And for a moment, she can only stare back.</p><p>But-</p><p>Catra is <em>sapient.</em> She is capable of thought and ideas. She has always believed she is no less than a human, should be treated no lesser than a human.</p><p>But she<em> isn't </em>human.</p><p>Her eyes sharpen, claws extending as instinct takes over and she runs towards the containers, their messy shape offers a labyrinth of twists and turns that make it a challenge for the snakes to follow.</p><p>They do, of course, turning and slamming and causing the containers to start falling over each other as the ship starts to shake.</p><p>Catra is a <em>predator.</em> Maybe a predator turned prey, but that means nothing for her instincts that so keenly -almost overwhelmingly- tell her where the next fang strikes. Where the containers will fall. Where she can <em>survive.</em></p><p>It's terrifying, how sharp and clear everything moves around her.</p><p>She moves nothing like she was taught. No elegance or grace in her movements that Shadow Waver obsessed over. Not <em>quite</em> animalistic, her hand tightening around Sparkles wrist as her eyes scan the large room.</p><p>The ship was a maze of patterns. And the First Ones had proved to love their corridors. More importantly, they'd proved to love building them in different sizes.</p><p>But that's when time catches up with them.</p><p>Minutes later, her mind will flush the adrenaline, exhaustion allowing her thoughts to understand what happens and what could have been done better.</p><p>But right then? Then, all she knows is that one container too many falls. The vessel shakes, and then a resounding crack resounds around them. She doesn't allow Sparkles to stop, far too aware that the snakes haven't stopped moving, searching, <em>hunting. </em>Her eyes frantically search the hangar as a dozen of slithering serpents continue to chase.</p><p>But the floor shakes. And it tilts. And it <em>tilts.</em></p><p>
  <strong> <em>And then it tilts.</em> </strong>
</p><p>"Hold on." Glimmer snarls, hand sparkling with magic as pieces of metal flooring tear off the ground. She takes the lead as the torn pieces float, becoming more and more obvious as the whole place starts to lean sideways. And then she sees it. A half open hallway at the end of Glimmers makeshift path.</p><p>Her mind barely registers the sound of tons of water flooding the hanger. Far too relieved at the sight of the exit in front of them.</p><p>And then there's a jaw but a meter away from her, falling from the wall turned ceiling, wide and sharp and full of so, <em>so</em> many teeth that Catra's first note is that it has far more than<em> a </em>set of teeth. As in Its mouth was filled with multiple sets of sharp teeth all ready to tear them apart.</p><p>And then Glimmer snarls -<em>again!</em>- as sparkles engulf them. Catra momentarily feels her entire body fall apart, torn apart to the smallest of pieces.</p><p>And then they appear, just a few meters away, standing on the wall of the hallway -large enough that Catra assumes it's for large vehicles to use-, the door in the middle of underneath with nothing but chaos and watery hell greeting her eyes as she vomits. Eyes watering in pain as she drops her knife in an attempt to rub her throat.</p><p>Any complaints and sarcasm she might have had disappeared when Glimmer lets out a pained, choking sound, sliding down the sideway wall as her hand presses on her upper-mid chest. Her eyes water as her body convulses violently, letting out a pained chock as something silent leaves her voice.</p><p>Between the asphyxiating caused by the vomiting and the aching of her muscles, it takes her a moment too long to realise that Glimmer isn't vomiting her food as she lets out a near-silent sound.</p><p>She's vomiting blood.</p><p>Catra's mind is <em>slow</em>. It feels like it's caught in a tar. Slowed by her body reaching its limit.</p><p>It also takes her a moment too long to realise something is falling down the hallway. <em>Fast. </em><strong><em>Again.</em></strong></p><p>But she moves. Because if there's one thing she's learnt from Shadow Waver, it's that you never stay still when there's a knife at your throat.</p><p>Pushing the girl out of the way, she lets out a low growl. Her mind blanks, catching the longest of the snake's teeth as the world momentarily stops. Stuck in the middle of the collapsed princess and a hole to hell as she lets out a pained choke.</p><p>Pinned on the ground Catra snarls as the snake returns a growl. Wriggling and grappling as it tries to tear her apart.</p><p>And then she blinks, watching it recoil back without reason.</p><p>And then she corrects herself.</p><p>Glimmer lets out a snarl, stabbing it in a movement similar to her own as one of its eyes fracture.</p><p>Not one to lose an opportunity. Catra eyes sharpen as she twists her body.</p><p>With no limbs to grab, and lost its jaw to greed as her hands hold firm, it swirls helplessly as she pushes with everything she has left.</p><p>And it falls, swallowed by the shadows and glacial dark blue as the resounding thud echoes towards them.</p><p>And then there's silence. Nothing but the faint echo of water flooding underneath them as they simultaneously fall onto the door turned wall turned floor.</p><p>"We," Glimmer murmured, her body twitching as she let go of the knife. "are not doing that again. <em>Ever… Ad'fier.</em>"</p><p>Too tired to respond Catra can only nod. Blinking, her eyes dart towards her arm, veins grown -and <em>they'd just started receding</em>- as her arm shakes frantically. And for a moment she stares, wary as small amounts of blood but not quite blood slowly starts to soak her arm.</p><p>But Catra has long since decided to die standing. So she stands, eyes darting towards the sidewalls, the ceiling, and finally to the now perpendicular standing floor. Picking her knife as she gently returns it to her sheath, her eyes dart towards her companion in concern.</p><p>"You with the living, Sweetcheeks?" Her voice feels dry and cut as she forces herself to walk towards Glimmer. Grimacing when she realises half the outfit is red mixed with pink.</p><p>"Don't call me that!" She half growls between coughs. It's a pleasant sound, she thinks. Not the usual prissiness she's attributed for months and far more of a fighter than Catra could have ever expected. "And yes. I'm malz'mi well living after <em>that!</em>"</p><p>"Good to know." Catra's smile feels more like a grimace, pulling the princess up as her eyes return to the perpendicular floor. "Because we have a lot of climbing left to do."</p><p>Sparkles look up, looks at Catra, and then looks back up. And then she lets out a low, pitiful moan. Catra would have laughed if it didn't project every one of her emotions. Instead, she half carries the half-dead princess to the best looking climbable area.</p><p>Because if she's going to die, she's <em>sechertz'mi</em>well not doing it alone.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>The room starts to heat as she closes the engine room behind her.</p><p>Relief and fear mixing through her as the room starts to brighten. It feels like hope and a death sentence all in one, nothing but chance and luck to decide which it'll be in the end.</p><p><em>This better work,</em> She thinks, working with nothing but stubbornness and spite as she closes the last door. <em>And the elevator better work as well, </em>she scowls, placing the princess down as she waits for the room to move.</p><p>Entrapta had speculated it would take some of the excessive energy in an attempt to stop the overheating. And it wouldn't work but would be something useful to know for when she returned to the command centre of the ship.</p><p>And move it does.</p><p>Of course, for all her brilliance, even Entrapta would need days to figure out how to work the vessel.</p><p>For that point, Entrapta would need days to <em>pilot</em> the vessel. Which had been Catra's original hope when she'd first manage to plan around the graveyard. But Catra wasn't completely comfortable with letting her move to well-fortified locations, much less an area soon to turn into another war-front.</p><p>An entire crew learning would lead to a minimum of a month of engagement before they could take the vessel.</p><p>This led to the question of whether she could afford a prolonged engagement.</p><p>Which. No. <em>Definitely not.</em></p><p>She'd almost hadn't noticed, between battles and organizing, but-</p><p>But the Horde's line of supplies were <em>dwindling</em>. Decades of constant use leaving them with a decreasing limit. Of course, for something like plating it could simply be scavenged and reforged. But the more fragile parts? The hardware that was used in all these robots, vehicles and weapons? ...it led her to... <em>morbid thoughts.</em></p><p>Of course, part of the reason it was becoming such a significant problem was the large quantity that Lord Hordak used for his own projects. Catra wasn't about to question her Lord's motivations and ideas, but… it seemed… <em>unwise</em>, to put so much into a single project.</p><p>One, that from her understanding, had been failing for<em> years</em>.</p><p>Either way, the problem still laid that within a year, these weaknesses would become visible.</p><p>Currently, she was careful in how she used her units, how many locations she deployed them and how far they were scattered.</p><p>Beginning a campaign in a snowy wasteland? Where fuel was frozen, where the robots became far more fragile? Where hardware would easily fail without costly upkeep?</p><p>No, she simply couldn't afford that.</p><p>Closing her eyes, she hears the door open. Knowing that there can only be a few minutes to strap the princess into chairs, she opens her eyes.</p><p>She has a job to do.</p><p>But her mind spirals.</p><p>So what could she afford?</p><p>
  <em>What can I afford?</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>Her first thought is that she's dead. Painfully so, yes. Feeling squashed, frozen and in pain.</p><p>Pain mostly, actually. She's had magical exhaustion before, of course, but that was in the academy. Where it was strictly monitored with the best Etheria had to offer, not half-frozen at death's door with no one but one of the Rebellion's greatest foes carrying her half-dead body.</p><p><em>It's been a very </em> <strong> <em>stressful</em> </strong> <em> day.</em></p><p>And this is from the woman that she had to console Adora <em>repeatedly </em>over for every bed she accidentally killed.</p><p>Her second thought is that she's going to <em>haunt</em> Catra for this, even if the woman in question would have probably died with her.</p><p>And then she blinks, realising that Bow is blabbering something while frantically checking through her injuries.</p><p>"Bow?" Her voice feels dry and sore. She forces her eyes to stay open, finding her best friend holding her while the other sleeps peacefully.</p><p>"Oh, thank the First Ones! You're alive!" He lets out a shaky, relieved breath.</p><p>"…Don't feel alive…" She mumbles, grimacing as he helps her up. "What happened?"</p><p>Whatever his answer is, she ignores it at the sudden flash of memories invading her mind.</p><p>A faint explosion... no, it hadn't been as much an explosion as it was the echoing of freezing that shook the entire structure. And then the violent shaking of the ship, the millions of tons of water slamming into it with a terrifying drumming sound.</p><p><em>I must have lost consciousness.</em> She grimaces, eyes darting to where the other princesses frantically checked over Catra in a manner that disturbingly reflected her own.</p><p>She'd rather not think about it.</p><p>"Adora?"</p><p>"She's okay." Bow assures her, smiling as he shows her the sleeping woman. "The sword didn't fall, and whatever the virus was, it started disappearing after a few hours."</p><p>"I see." She murmurs, feeling the hours of exhaustion catch up to her.</p><p>And then her eyes meet Catra, who studies her for a moment before nodding. She forces herself up, sharing a quick word with Scorpia and Entrapta before they start walking away.</p><p>"Catra, wait-" Glimmer bites her lip, forcing herself to take a step as the woman stops walking, even if she doesn't turn to look at her. "...Is...is this war really necessary?" <em>What am I even saying?</em> "...I don't think you're a bad person. If we only just talked we could stop it without any more bloodshed. We could stop all these pointless deaths." <em>She's horrified. What in the trekldit</em><em>is she saying? Did she hit her head? She must have, definitely.</em></p><p>"..." Catra looks up, exhaling softly before turning her head just enough for one of her eyes to meet Glimmer's pair. "Is war necessary?" There was something…<em> odd</em>, in her tone, as if she wasn't quite looking at Glimmer. "No, I don't think it is. So why do people find it necessary?"</p><p>"...I don't understand."</p><p>"Talking wouldn't change anything, Glimmer." Catra shakes her head as she starts to walk towards the Hordes ship. "We might breathe the same breath, fight the same war, but the worlds we see are too different for us to solve by talking. War changes people." She confesses softly. "Changes the reason for fighting. And this war has long since stopped being about honour and ideals." For a moment she stops, hand reaching for a pocket before she throws a-</p><p>Glimmer blinks, catching the artifact as she stares dumbly. "Wh-?"</p><p>"Make sure to grind it to dust." She shrugs uncaringly. "There's only so many near-deaths I enjoy." She starts walking towards the ship, free arm waves lazily as Entrapta and Scorpia follow. "Try not to get yourself killed, sweetcheeks. I can only deal with so much idiotism."</p><p>Glimmer doesn't hesitate, breaking the artifact in half -vindictively, more than once- before falling on the snow exhausted, watching as the woman she'd just spent the past day trusting with her life disappears into the snowfall. "Bow? Hug?" She asks, feeling Bow's arms hold her tightly.</p><p>She feels odd... lost, for some reason.</p><p>She doesn't know how to feel about it either.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>"You're sure the explosion killed all of them?" Catra asks, thinking of the slithering fiernz'ya. "And if you bemoan about not getting more samples, I'll throw this into the sea." She snarks, handing Entrapta a small device she'd salvaged from the vessel.</p><p>The older woman salivates at the sight, grabbing the artifact as she eagerly examines it.</p><p>"So, what happened after I fell?" She turns to Scorpia as the other woman...<em> twirls.</em></p><p>"Oh, well... we actually fell with you." At Catras alarmed glance, Scorpia instantly backpedals. "It's okay. We fell on a... er-"</p><p>"It was a snow bridge." Entrapta clarifies. Surprising Catra by pocketing the device as she joins the conversation. "It was only a few meters down, so I'm assuming there was also some ice and rock keeping it up from falling after the shockwave..."</p><p>"But you got out?"</p><p>"Nope." Entrapta smiles proudly. "Emily found us!"</p><p>For a moment, she ponders whether she has finally become delirious. And then she blinks, realising that it's very much the words she's heard. "...Come again?</p><p>"She hacked into some of the drilling bots' cores and led them towards us. Oh, you should have seen the calculations she did to dig a cave without collapsing the bridge! They're beautiful!" The woman sobs emotionally.</p><p>Catra watches Entrapta's toy preen at the praise, happily jumping in an adorable manner around its creator.</p><p>
  <em>Don't be silly, Catra. Just because Emily's a robot doesn't mean she isn't sentient!</em>
</p><p>Befuddled, Catra raises her hand and pats the robot awkwardly as it stills. "Not bad, I suppose." She murmurs in praise at Entraptas pet.</p><p>She pulls back her hand, blinking as she notices both women grin.</p><p>"What?" She hisses defensively.</p><p>"Oh? Us? Nothing, nothing."</p><p>"Urgh. Whatever." Catra huffs, ignoring whatever headache it would bring, "Where did you find the artifact, anyway?"</p><p>"Next to the sword," Entrapta explains thoughtfully. "My initial idea was an attempt to track it in the hopes you had it. But it appears there was some sort of... magnetic attraction that was activated. I was hoping to study it further, but..."</p><p>"No more murder viruses," Scorpia concludes solemnly, offering Catra a blanket.</p><p>Catra nods appreciatively, feeling exhausted as she leans back into the vessel's wall.</p><p>Only to grimace when it moves in the particularly violent moment.</p><p>"Entrapta?" She calls out with a grimace." As soon as we get home, I want you to start designing a new ship. I'll get the materials," She continues, watching as the woman's eyes brighten. "So make sure the thing's stable."</p><p>It becomes a slight blur after. She only half listens as Scoripa offers to get something warm to drink, or when Entrapta starts trailing off in her own spoken thoughts as she starts planning.</p><p>"I'm surprised you chose to destroy the ship." Entrapta suddenly admits, pulling her out of her exhausted half-asleep state.</p><p>Catra's lip twitched. "Are you angry about it?"</p><p>"...I'm a little bit sad, but I understand why you did what you did. I'd rather have my friend than a… <em>very</em> technologically advanced vessel made by an ancient civilisation millennia more advanced than us."</p><p>Catra smirked, hiding how moved she was by the remark. "And here I planned on how to get the ship without starting another war for it."</p><p>Which was a challenge in itself. The Rebellion might sneer at technology, but it seemed somewhere between 'keep it out of the Horde' side and 'religious significance' that I'd be happy to retaliate.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Hmm." And now she allowed herself to smile. "Remember a certain schematic I gave you just after the mine operation? The one with an experimental flying vehicle?" It was rarely used, being high maintenance and requiring a huge supply of energy. Truth be told, the only reason it hadn't been scrapped when she found it was due to it being an artefact that had belonged to Scorpia's royal family. Even after months, Entrapta was still stumped on how to make it more effective. "Say, oh, instead of making it<em> fly,</em> I asked you to make it so it could travel <em>underwater.</em></p><p>Entrapta stilled, eyes widening as she looked at Catra.</p><p>"And say that, maybe, I might have closed some of the vessel's doors. Doors that I'm certain were <em>watertight.</em>"</p><p>"I-It would take me months to build." She stutters, eyes slowly widening as a smile grows on her lips. "Oh! But Catra! The possibilities! I could- I could make our ships faster, stronger. Oh gosh! They still had power! I could make them fly!" She starts running through the deck as Scorpia returns, offering a mug to the two as she stares at the woman half curios.</p><p>"I... probably shouldn't ask." Scorpia lets out a fond sigh, sending Entrapta an amused glance. Shivering slightly in the cold as she quickly takes another sip of her own mug.</p><p>Catra frowns, opening her mouth before shutting it closed. She feels bluebell coloured eyes staring into her.</p><p>But-</p><p>But there isn't. There's only her, Scorpia and Entrapta.</p><p>Only the Super Pal Trio.</p><p>
  <em>Memorise flash of an explosion, shaking and panicking as her eyes dart to the two women strapped to the chairs.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Of flooding rooms, of sinking water.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Of desperately pulling both girls upwards as the vessel's sinking creates a current that pulls them downwards.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Of a claw reaching out, a rope tied to her waist as she holds Catra tightly, nothing but a refusal to let go as she finally gasps for fresh air.</em>
</p><p>"..." Letting out a sigh, she opens the blanket, dragging both women under ignoring perplexed or delighted glances.</p><p>For a moment, nothing but the calming whisper of the crashing water and the faint engine is all that sounds through the night. The night is quiet, the sky is clear, the air is clean, and she feels...</p><p>"Thanks for getting us out." She whispered gently, leaning her head on the taller woman's shoulder.</p><p>"O-Oh, don't worry about it... Any time, really."</p><p>And Catra smiles softly, closing her eyes, feeling nothing but safe for the first time since Adora left. She may only half-listen to whatever is said next, but it's the type of listening that she only does when she feels safe. Maybe, just maybe, she can risk trusting one more time.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>Catra shouldn't have trusted Scorpia. Clearly, it was a decision made through sleep deprivation and exhaustion. She wasn't one to make mistakes, but clearly, this one needed rectifying. <em>Quickly.</em></p><p>"Oh, you look great!"</p><p>Catra's eye twitches as she glares at the larger woman.</p><p>"I-I mean, I know pink isn't your colour, but it was the only one I had your size. It was mine back when I was twelve," She explains fidgeting, half hiding behind Entrapta in hopes of decreasing the receiving glare.</p><p>She looks ridiculous, is all Catra knows, pretending she isn't in a frilly, pink covered apron.</p><p>"We're going to cook. <em>Now.</em>"</p><p>And Scorpia instantly stops fidgeting, smiling happily as she darts through the kitchen much like Entrapta does through her lab, explaining each utensil and apparatus as she starts prepping the food.</p><p>And if Catra smiles fondly when neither are looking?</p><p>Well, that's her secret to know.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>I sometimes draw while coming up with writing ideas, thought I'd star posting it online if it's something you'd like to see:</em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">https://mobile.twitter.com/SappandEmr</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>Catra's book on how to not be an idiot:</em> </span>
</p><p><strong>Hysterical strength: </strong>Occurs when adrenaline makes the heart and lungs work faster sending more oxygen to major muscles. Causes a boost in vision, hearing and strength greater than the body is usually capable of.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>As always, a huge thank you to Hubris Plus, Sathroe and Tara for reading through the draft!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>And with this, we are firmly out of the canon timeline! It was supposed to be less than half this length, but...</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The next chapter is when we really start to get into Catra's transition of mentality -though there were hints through the story so far-, so I'm really looking forward to working on that!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>None the less, if you felt I should have written something differently, be it personality and/or displays of different states of mentality, please leave a comment! Any advice is welcome and appreciated!</strong>
</p><p><strong>Anyways, Ill See you next time! </strong> <strong>Ciao!</strong></p><p>
  <strong>~ Sapphire and Emeralds</strong>
</p>
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